Citizenship in the primary curriculum

Primary curriculum

Citizenship offers students the opportunity to participate in decision making across all areas of the primary curriculum.

Schools build upon and extend children's early education experiences in primary schools. Many headteachers organise imaginative whole-school programmes to develop core values, or engage in issues of local interest. Primary schools usually have some means of providing opportunities for young people to take part in decision making both at classroom and at whole-school level. Many have developed meaningful links with both local and global communities.

Examples include:

• activities that help pupils to understand and take some responsibility for their relations with the wider community
• school link activities that encourage deeper understanding of other communities and cultures
• projects encouraging environmental responsibility
• creating opportunities for the responsible exercise of personal choice, and
• activities that encourage children to offer feedback on approaches to learning and teaching.

For further information, read our primary audit materials, our planning materials and browse through our case studies of good practice within Scottish primary schools.