GCSE Citizenship

What is Citizenship?

GCSE Citizenship is a new subject at WBCA, and we are excited to be introducing it to our curriculum. We are looking forward to giving students the opportunity to explore real‑world issues, develop valuable life skills, and become informed, confident, and active citizens.

Why Study Citizenship?

Studying Citizenship helps students understand how society works and the role they play within it. It develops knowledge of rights, responsibilities, democracy, and the law, while encouraging students to think critically about current issues. Citizenship also builds confidence, communication, and decision‑making skills, empowering young people to become informed, active, and responsible members of society.

What Will I learn?

In Citizenship, students will learn how to:

think critically about real‑world issues
share opinions clearly and confidently
debate and listen respectfully to others
understand rights, responsibilities, and the law
analyse news and spot bias or misinformation
make reasoned arguments and justify views
work collaboratively and problem‑solve
become confident, informed, and active citizens

How will I be assessed?

Students are assessed through two written exams, both taken at the end of Year 11. There is no coursework, but students complete a Citizenship Action which is examined within one of the papers.

Assessment is based on three Assessment Objectives (AOs):

AO1 – Knowledge and understanding (30%)

AO2 – Application (30%)

AO3 – Analysis and evaluation (40%)

Together, the exams assess students’ ability to know, apply, and evaluate citizenship knowledge, preparing them to become informed and active citizens.

What Exam Board and specification will I follow?

Pearson Edexcel GCSE

Citizenship Studies (2016)

Where can this subject take me?

A GCSE in Citizenship helps students develop strong knowledge of society, politics, and the law, alongside valuable transferable skills such as critical thinking, debate, and evaluation. It supports progression into A‑levels and vocational courses such as Politics, Law, Sociology, Criminology, History, and Public Services. The subject is particularly useful for careers that involve working with people, decision‑making, and understanding society, including law, journalism, public service, policing, social work, politics, and the civil service. It also equips students with the confidence and skills needed to be active, informed citizens in everyday life.

Subject Lead: Mrs U Newby

I am qualified to teach Citizenship through my degree from Cardiff University in History and English Literature, with a specialism in Social History. This provided a strong understanding of how societies function, including governance, rights, inequality, and social change. Alongside this, my academic training developed critical thinking, evaluation, and communication skills that are central to effective Citizenship teaching