Citizenship Education in England: Policy and Curriculum

Abstract

This chapter outlines the context and key developments that led to the introduction of citizenship education in schools in England and examines some of the recent education policy changes that have had an impact on the subject. Despite many previous initiatives connected to Education for Citizenship, it was not until 1999 that citizenship was introduced formally as a national curriculum subject for secondary schools in England. As Bernard Crick (Parliam Aff 55:488–504, 2002), who had chaired the influential Advisory Group on Education for Citizenship and the Teaching of Democracy in Schools, put it, the lack of formal citizenship education prior to the new curriculum subject was