BATTLEFRONT

CURRICULUM

This series is aimed at 11- to 19-year-olds. It is very relevant to themes covered in Citizenship and to a lesser extent in Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education at KS3 and KS4 or equivalent. It could also support Politics, Sociology and general life-skills type courses at Post 16.

PROGRAMME RELEVANCE

Each of the five programmes has two main learning themes:

• It introduces students to the concept of a campaign and some of the techniques used.
• Each programme raises awareness and promotes discussion about a particular issue – for example, gun and knife crime in Programme 1.

Programmes can be watched in any order or individual programmes can be chosen. Each 28-minute programme follows a similar format and should be watched in it entirety.

DETAILED CURRICULUM RELEVANCE

The following applies to the series as a whole:

England

Battlefront supports the progamme of study for Citizenship at KS3 and KS4.

Skills and processes

The Skills and processes that Battlefront can support are:

• engage with and reflect on different ideas, opinions, beliefs and values when exploring topical and controversial issues and problems
• research, plan and undertake enquiries into issues and problems using a range of information and sources
• analyse and evaluate sources used, questioning different values, ideas and viewpoints and recognising bias
• express and explain their own opinions to others through discussions, formal debates and voting
• communicate an argument, taking account of different viewpoints and drawing on what they have learnt through research, action and debate
• justify their argument, giving reasons to try to persuade others to think again, change or support them
• represent the views of others, with which they may or may not agree.

Explanatory notes:

Critical thinking and enquiry: Using real case studies to explore issues and problems can help to develop skills of critical thinking, enquiry, debate and advocacy. Pupils should learn how to make judgements on the basis of evidence, exploring ideas, opinions and values that are different from their own.

Topical and controversial issues and problems: Political, social and ethical issues and problems can be controversial and sensitive, and can lead to disagreement. They should not be avoided, but need to be handled so that pupils develop skills in discussing and debating citizenship issues and considering points of view that are not necessarily their own. Setting ground rules and using distancing techniques can help to manage the discussion of such issues.

Analyse and evaluate: This includes pupils evaluating and assessing different opinions and challenging what they see, hear and read through research and investigation, considering scenarios and case studies.

Advocacy and representation: Developing skills of advocacy and representation provides opportunities for pupils to build on the skills of speaking and listening, reading and writing from the English programme of study. In the context of citizenship, they learn to take account of different points of view and the various ways in which people express themselves. They practise communicating with different audiences, including those in positions of power, to try to influence and persuade them about ways of making a difference to political and social issues.

Voting: This includes knowing about and participating in different kinds of voting, for example a show of hands, a secret ballot and simulating division. Voting can be part of activities – for example, to decide on a motion within a debate or to agree a new policy for the student council.

Take action: Action should be informed by research and investigation into a political, social or ethical issue or problem. This includes developing and using skills, while applying citizenship knowledge and understanding. Actions could include: presenting a case to others about a concern; conducting a consultation, vote or election; organising a meeting, event or forum to raise awareness and debate issues; representing the views of others at a meeting or event; creating, reviewing or revisiting an organisational policy; contributing to local community policies; lobbying and communicating views publicly via a website, campaign or display; setting up an action group or network; training others in democratic skills such as advocacy or campaigning.

Range and content

The range and content which Battlefront supports includes:

• political, legal and human rights, and responsibilities of citizens
• freedom of speech and diversity of views, and the role of the media in informing and influencing public opinion and holding those in power to account
• actions that individuals, groups and organisations can take to influence decisions affecting communities and the environment
• the changing nature of UK society, including the diversity of ideas, beliefs, cultures, identities, traditions, perspectives and values that are shared.

Curriculum opportunities

The Curriculum opportunities which Battlefront supports are:

• debate, in groups and whole-class discussions, topical and controversial issues, including those of concern to young people
• work individually and in groups, taking on different roles and responsibilities
• participate in both school-based and community-based citizenship activities
• participate in different forms of individual and collective action, including decision-making and campaigning
• take into account legal, moral, economic, environmental, historical and social dimensions of different political problems and issues
• use and interpret different media and ICT both as sources of information and as a means of communicating ideas.

Wales

Battlefront supports the 'Personal and social education framework for 7- to 19-year-olds in Wales' by linking to the following content:

Learners should be given opportunities to:

• develop respect for themselves and others
• understand the importance of democratic decision-making
• understand how injustice and inequality affects people's lives
• participate in school and the wider community
• understand their responsibilities as young citizens in Wales
• understand the principles of democracy in Wales, the UK and the EU
• understand how young people can have their views listened to and influence decision-making.

Scotland

Battlefront links to the following Citizenship themes in Scotland:

• Political awareness
• Pressure groups
• Media awareness
• Sustainable development
• Topical issues.

Northern Ireland

Battlefront can support 'Learning For Life and Work Area 14-18 – Local and Global Citizenship Strand':

• Democracy and Active Participation
• Investigating: basic characteristics of democracy; various ways to participate in society; a local issue from range of viewpoints
• Human Rights and Social Responsibilities
• Investigate why different rights must be balanced in our society.

CURRICULUM GUIDANCE WEBSITES

This web page contains links to other websites that are neither controlled nor maintained by Channel 4 Television. Channel 4 Television is not responsible for the content of these sites and does not necessarily endorse the material on them.

England
http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/

Wales
http://new.wales.gov.uk/psesub/home/
resources/documents/pseframework/?lang=en

Scotland
www.ltscotland.org.uk/citizenship/

Northern Ireland
www.deni.gov.uk/index/
80-curriculum-and-assessment.htm