At Cranbrook School we see Citizenship as integral to life in general and as such it is taught as a cross-curricular subject. It is part of our PSHEe (Personal, Social, Economic and Health Education) programme and is firmly embedded in the Thinking Skills lessons with years 9 to 11, and is supported by our tutorial and school assembly programme. Citizenship is also the main theme of our first year 9 Themed Week which is based around the theme of Freedom. As Bernard Crick, the Chairman of the Advisory Group for Citizenship and Teaching of Democracy in Schools, said, “Citizenship is more than a statutory subject. If taught well and tailored to local needs, its skills and values will enhance democratic life for us all, both rights and responsibilities, beginning in school and radiating out.”
Citizenship is more than knowledge of politics and elections, although these are important aspects of the subject and one that we take seriously. We use in-House elections each year to appoint our Student Councils, both Senior and Junior, to ensure these students really are the Voice of the House thus supporting the Student Voice within the school. The whole staff body respect the Student Council, and although they do not always get what they would wish for they are always listened to. Previous successes have included the outdoor clock on the Horsley block, more drinking water fountains around school, the Solar Clock and the new picnic benches in the quad - which the CSPA kindly financed.
We have many links with overseas communities. The school’s highly successful Lenten Appeal supports our biennual trips to Tanzania and in 1999 over 40 students went to the Tabora Region of Tanzania in what was the 25th anniversary of this link. There are also regular exchange trips to Kerala in India and to Poland. We also run pre-season sport training tours, the Food Trip to France, the Battlefields trip to the WW1 Battlefields for GCSE Historians, French and Chemistry trips to Valencienne to name but a few of the opportunities for Cranbrook students to experience different cultures.
PSHEe lessons regularly provide the forum for discussions on Human Rights. Topics such as the right to life and freedom from torture are discussed, and refugee status always provokes healthy debates. Equal opportunities, bullying, prejudice, the environment and the criminal justice system are just a few of the issues covered within PSHEe, and regularly “topped up” by assemblies, given by staff, pupils and visiting speakers. In addition PSHEe lessons are often enlivened by visiting speakers. The police visit to talk to classes about issues such as illegal drugs and teenagers and the law. Economic well-being is encouraged via Year 10s Mini Enterprise scheme, ably led by some of our parents, and the always successful Young Enterprise teams in Year 12. Lessons are also given to encourage economic well-being, for example about Income Tax, how to buy a car, the costs of becoming a parent and how to plan finances for a holiday.
Our assembly programme provides information on wide ranging topics, many of which relate to Citizenship. Outside speakers have spoken about Guide Dogs for the Blind, the Local Council, Amnesty International, and recently by Piers Sellers, and Old-Cranbrookian who returns regularly to speak about his life as an astronaut with Nasa.
Science Status has enabled us to increase our links with local primary schools, and pupils from local schools have benefited by the regular visits from our Science Prefects and science staff. Our excellent links with CADSAS has increased our use of the Observatory and of course we have community links via the community use of the Queens Hall, the Performing Arts Centre, the Sports Hall and other facilities within the school. Our recently gained Modern Language Status has allowed lessons for community members to take place in the evenings, in languages such as French and Greek.
The student body is very pro-active in providing support networks. We have a very successful Student Listener scheme, where Year 12 pupils aim to support younger pupils with the general trials and tribulations of school and teenage life. We also have Healthy Schools status, and our Core Team meet regularly to look at ways of increasing awareness of healthy lifestyle choices. There have been themed weeks relating to Health and Fitness, and to Healthy Eating, as well as assemblies and health related poster campaigns around the school.
Citizenship. Very much part of Cranbrook School's ethos, and integral to our aims of producing well rounded pupils; intelligent, well educated, caring and in touch with the society in which they live.
