Citizenship champions
Access keys Skip navigation
Aylesbury College
Post-16 Citizenship activity at Aylesbury College
The Aylesbury College Citizenship project is currently being delivered to learners in the Pathways learning difficulties and disabilities department. Learners study the OCR Entry Level Certificate in Citizenship Studies as a core subject. The course, which is run over three days, includes basic skills, job seeking skills, performing arts and an art project. There are eight learners on the 1st year programme and eight on the 2nd year programme. Progression to year two is optional as learners can achieve individual units and modules.
Learners on the course benefit greatly from alternative methods of citizenship education such as the performing arts and art aspects of the programme. Learners develop drama, dance and poetry based on a range of local and global citizenship issues. Learners work with other curriculum areas such as mainstream art, IT and construction planning taking part in a performance at the local arts centre. This year citizenship learners alongside AVCE art students organised a community street festival with other schools and charity groups within the area. Learners also work on a range of art work and sculpture also featured as part of the festival. Proceeds from the event go to charities identified by the learners themselves.
Building and maintaining partnerships is also an important aspect of citizenship education at Aylesbury College. Learners work alongside charity groups such as Amnesty International, UNICEF, Salt of the Earth, OXFAM and Task Brazil. Local communuty groups involved with the programme include Aylesbury Youth Action, Stoke Mandeville Hospital Voluntary Organisation, Aylesbury Development Education Centre and the Queens Park Arts Centre.
As part of their core studies learners are required to recognise the role of government and participation in the voting process. This has been achieved by developing learners own student council within the wider college community. Learners write and deliver manifestos and stand for election. Learners meet weekly within their tutorial sessions and monthly with the assistant principal.
As a championship project for the post 16 citizenship development programme, Glen Harvey, the project coordinator, aims to disseminate citizenship education throughout the whole college curriculum. Regular staff development sessions have been delivered to other curriculum areas and a staff development training pack has been written for whole college use.
Citizenship coordinator's top tips for setting up post-16 citizenship activity:
- Choose a curriculum which meets learners individual needs and aspirations. The OCR Entry Level Certificate in Citizenship Studies offers a wide range of learning opportunities including rights, responsibilities and the law, identifying communities and participating in community action, recognising the role of government and participating in the voting process, recognising the individual as a World Citizen. Opportunities for active citizenship can be incorporated into every aspect of this programme. Learners can study individual units which are accredited in their own right.
- Encourage learners to get involved within their community by conducting surveys and interviewing members of the public on issues relating to the wider community. Set up opportunities for learners to attend local government meetings so that they can have a voice in real life situations. Use these opportunities to develop basic and key skills. Relate learning to the Every Child Matters government policy.
- Use a variety of alternative and interesting methods for delivering active citizenship within the classroom. The Aylesbury College programme uses drama, dance and art as alterantive methods of delivering citizenship education. Learners are supported and encouraged to develop creative arts skills whilst exploring citizenship issues. A performance or youth community festival is an ideal way of celebrating and sharing citizenship education within the wider community. Make sure that your learners are involved with every aspect of the planning. They must have ownership of the project.
- Develop and maintain effective local and global partnerships. Learners benefit greatly from interacting with specialist speakers from charities and community organisations. Learners experiences are enhanced by active community involvement be it local or global.
- Do not keep the delivery of citizenship education inside the constraints of the classroom. Make it ACTIVE.
How this organisation could help you:
- Invite other colleges to the Aylesbury project so as to share resources and contact details. Learners will help to plan and deliver presentations during this event.
- Develop a staff training pack which can be used to disseminate citizenship education internally and externally. Hold presentations and training events with other organisations new to the programme to share the resource.
- Share experiences of specialist areas of citizenship education delivery such as learning difficulties and disabilities and of working with entry level learners. This can be part of internal activities with other organisations or external specialist training sessions.
- Share a range of leaflets and brochures outlining the delivery of citizenship education at Aylesbury College. The leaflets will be available on request or at organised open days.
- For more information see also our leaflet on post-16 citizenship.
Organisation website: www.aylesbury.ac.uk
Back to top