ACT : Association for Citizenship Teaching

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The government's academies bill yesterday received Royal Assent after being rushed through parliament on Monday. This legislation paves the way for parents, charities and others to set up "free schools" from this September. It also allows the first of the new wave academy schools, free from local authority control, to be in place for September.

Although six Liberal Democrat MPs voted for an amendment calling for more consultation with parents, the bill received Royal Assent yesterday.

We believe that education about rights and responsibilities, the law and democracy should be fundamental elements in every young person’s education and in the coming months will be asking all political parties to commit to keeping citizenship education in the curriculum, no matter what kind of reform happens in the future.

We want to show politicians that teachers really care about citizenship and that it can make a positive difference in young people’s lives and in schools.

You can do two things during the Summer recess to help us with this.

1. Write to your MP and tell them about Citizenship education in your intstitution-explain how it is the only entitlement that young people have to gain political and legal understanding and that Citizenship education is all about the 3 C's of Citizenship education-the importance of the curriculum, the culture of the school and the partnership with the community. You can find out how to contact your MP via this list of MPs

2. Add your name to our growing list of supporters at www.democraticlife.org.uk and help us make the case for citizenship!

The latest information on completing the CPD Certificate Portfolio and M Level submission can be found on the ACT regional web pages for each hub. Courses members should go here to find their hub page

This CPD is for teachers and support staff involved in developing and delivering the CBE Diploma, and for those teaching Geography, Citizenship, Careers, Work-Related Learning/Enterprise or any course with a planning or spatial element. It has been developed and is being delivered by Planning Aid for London in conjunction with Newham Education Business Partnership and the University of Westminster.

Please contact Ananda Chatterjee on 0208 430 4970 or email ananda.chatterjee@newham.gov.uk

Thank you to everyone who attended ACT's conference Political X-Factor earlier this week and making it such a success. Resources that participants produced are being collated and written up for dissemination next term.

Well done to the Political X-Factor winning team who produced a teaching resource on the European Union!