England · AQASyllabus
Citizenship Studies syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the England Citizenship Studiessyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
Active citizenship
Module overview →- How do you judge whether citizenship action has worked?How to evaluate citizenship action, including measuring impact against aims, gathering and using evidence and feedback, and reflecting on what could be improved.9 min answer →
- How do you investigate a citizenship issue and gather reliable evidence?The enquiry skills used to investigate a citizenship issue, including forming a question or hypothesis, using primary and secondary research, distinguishing quantitative and qualitative evidence, identifying bias, and reaching justified conclusions.9 min answer →
- How do you plan and run an effective citizenship campaign?How to plan and carry out an advocacy campaign or citizenship action, including setting aims, researching the issue, choosing methods, and working with others.9 min answer →
- What is citizenship action and how do citizens take it?The meaning of active citizenship and citizenship action, the difference between advocacy and direct action, and the skills citizens use to bring about change.9 min answer →
Life in modern Britain
Module overview →- What makes the UK a diverse, multi-identity society?The diverse nature of UK society, the multiple identities people hold, the contribution of migration to the UK, and the meaning of community cohesion and mutual understanding.9 min answer →
- What principles and values hold a diverse modern society together?The values that underpin British society, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance, and how these shared values support life in a diverse community.9 min answer →
- What is the role of a free press in a democracy?The role of the media and a free press in informing the public and holding power to account, the right to a private and family life, press regulation, and how the media can shape public opinion.9 min answer →
- How does the UK work with other countries to solve shared problems?The UK's role in key international organisations, including the United Nations, NATO, the Commonwealth, the Council of Europe and the World Trade Organization, and how membership shapes the UK's place in the wider world.9 min answer →
Politics and participation
Module overview →- What is democracy and how is the UK governed?The meaning of democracy, the difference between direct and representative democracy, the nature of the UK as a constitutional monarchy, and the main parts of government.9 min answer →
- How do elections work and what voting systems are used in the UK?How elections work, the first-past-the-post system and its strengths and weaknesses, other voting systems used in the UK, and who can vote.9 min answer →
- How can citizens influence decisions and hold power to account?The ways citizens can participate in democracy and influence decisions, including voting, joining parties and pressure groups, petitions, protest, and the role of the media.9 min answer →
- How do other countries govern themselves and how does this compare with the UK?Key differences in how citizens can or cannot participate in politics in one democratic and one non-democratic political system outside the UK, compared with the UK system.9 min answer →
- How is power shared between national, devolved and local government?The role of local government and councils, the meaning of devolution, the powers of the devolved nations, and how power is shared across different levels of government.9 min answer →
- How does Parliament work and what does the Prime Minister do?The structure of Parliament including the House of Commons and House of Lords, how laws are made, and the roles of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the opposition.9 min answer →
- Where does political power reside in the UK and how is it controlled?The nature of the uncodified British constitution, where sovereignty resides, the institutions of the constitution, and how the relationships between them control political power.9 min answer →
- How does the government raise and spend money?How the government raises money through taxation, how it decides public spending priorities, and how economic decisions affect citizens and public services.9 min answer →
Rights and responsibilities
Module overview →- What roles do ordinary citizens play in running the justice system?The roles citizens play within the legal system, including juror, magistrate, witness, special constable and Police and Crime Commissioner, and why citizen participation is vital to justice.9 min answer →
- What is the difference between criminal and civil law?The distinction between criminal and civil law, the people and courts involved in each, the standard of proof, and the outcomes such as punishment or compensation.9 min answer →
- How are human rights protected in the UK and beyond?The development and protection of human rights, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998, and how rights are balanced and enforced.9 min answer →
- What powers do the police have and what rights do citizens have when dealing with them?The roles and powers of the police, including stop and search, arrest, detention and charging, the role of the Crown Prosecution Service, and the rights citizens have when dealing with the police.9 min answer →
- What rights protect people at work and when they buy goods?The rights and responsibilities of citizens as employees and employers and as consumers, including key employment and consumer protections and the role of trade unions.9 min answer →
- How does the justice system work and how are courts organised?The structure of the courts, the role of the judiciary, juries, legal aid and the aims of sentencing, and how the justice system treats young people differently.9 min answer →
- How does the legal system make and uphold the law?The nature and purpose of law in society, the sources of law including statute and common law, and the difference between rights and responsibilities for citizens.9 min answer →