Glossary

This is a list of terms used in the field of citizenship education. Some terms are used interchangeably even by specialists.glossary school picture

Active citizenship
If being a citizen means belonging to a community, then active citizenship means taking an active part in shaping that community. The community might be your school, your town, Wales, the UK or the world

Citizenship education / global citizenship education
CEWC uses this term to encompass everything that schools do to encourage young people to become active citizens of their local, national or global communities. In England, Citizenship Education (capitalised) is a specific subject in the curriculum.

Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (ESDGC)

Rather than being a component of the curriculum, ESDGC is an approach to education which includes the whole curriculum and the management of schools. It promotes concepts such as interdependence, diversity and conflict resolution.

Global citizenship
The idea that, as well as being a citizen of one’s local community or nation, it is also possible to act as a citizen of the world. Global citizenship recognises that people in different countries are increasingly connected to each other through trade, communication and the exchange of information.

Philosophy for Children
An approach to developing young people’s thinking skills by establishing a ‘community of enquiry’ in the classroom. See the section on Philosophy for Children for more information.

PSE (Personal and Social Education)
PSE has been a statutory element of the school curriculum in Wales since 2003. It includes everything that a school does – in standalone lessons or otherwise – to promote pupils’ personal and social development. The range of PSE includes Active Citizenship and Sustainable Development & Global Citizenship, as well as areas such as health and moral and spiritual development. Guidance can be found in the PSE Framework for 7-19 year olds – see the Welsh Assembly Government’s website for further details.

School council
A democratic body which helps to decide school policies and development. Since November 2006 it has been a legal requirement for schools in Wales to establish a council which takes into account the views of young people.

Thinking skills
Thinking skills have been included in Wales’s national curriculum since September 2008, as part of a drive to make the curriculum more learner-centred and skills-focused. There are many methods available to improve thinking skills, including Philosophy for Children.