Citizenship Short Course
About this course
What is the Citizenship Short Course?
The ASDAN Citizenship Short Course is a flexible, portfolio-based course for learners aged 13 and over. It accredits between 10 and 60 hours of citizenship education and active citizenship activities.
Learners explore rights and responsibilities, community and volunteering, government and democracy, law and order, finance and global citizenship. The challenges align with the national curriculum programmes of study for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4 in England and can support the promotion of fundamental British values.
Through practical challenges, participation and reflection, learners build confidence and develop transferable skills, including communicating, decision making, thinking, team working and self-awareness.
Challenges can be interpreted and adapted to suit learners’ individual abilities, needs and learning environments.
Delivery format: Citizenship Short Course is available through Equitas, ASDAN’s digital learning platform, or in student book format. Some Equitas challenges differ from the student book version. Use one format per learner group. Equitas challenges can be downloaded.
| Learner age | 13+, 14+, 14–16, 14–25, 16+, 16–19, 19+, Adults |
| Level (indicative for non-regulated courses) | Entry 3, Level 1 |
| Key Stage | Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Key Stage 5 |
| Education setting | Mainstream school, Justice system (including youth offending), Further education, Community Education, EOTAS, PRU, Academy / Multi-academy trust, Voluntary sector, Training provider, Adult education, Independent school, Social services, Secondary |
| Guided learning hours | 10–20 hours, 20–60 hours |
| Regulated | Non-regulated course |
| Certification | Externally certificated, digital or hard-copy (additional fee) |
| Location | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, International (including Channel Islands and Ireland) |
| UCAS points | No UCAS points available |
| Available on Equitas | Yes |
| Pathway | Personal Effectiveness |
Helpful information
Who is the Citizenship Short Course for?
Short Courses are widely used in formal and non-formal settings, for learners aged 13 and over. Although ASDAN’s Short Courses are designed for learners working at Entry level 3 to Level 1, they can be adapted for learners working above or below these levels. The focus is on completing challenges and developing skills.
Facts and figures
- Flexible programmes of learning accessible to learners at a range of levels
- Internally moderated
- Accredits 10–60 hours of activities
- Can count towards up to three credits for the Personal Development Programmes
- Can support skills development for ASDAN’s Personal Effectiveness Qualifications and may contribute to recognition of prior learning where standards are met in full
Requirements
Each learner must have their own registration. Learners must present evidence of their activities in an organised portfolio.
This should include:
- a record of the challenges completed, with supporting evidence
- recording documents showing how the learner planned and reviewed their activities
- a summary of achievement highlighting skills development
- a personal statement.
Equitas organises evidence against each challenge within the platform.
We have created guidance for members delivering ASDAN Short Courses, including planning, requirements, quality assurance and certification.
Course content
The Citizenship Short Course accredits between 10 and 60 hours of citizenship activities. The challenges in the Short Course align with the national curriculum citizenship programmes of study for key stages 3 and 4 (in England).
There are some key differences between the challenge content in the original Citizenship Short Course student book and the version available on Equitas. These include updated module titles, revised challenge content and outcomes, and additional new challenges.
For consistency, we recommend that members choose one format to use with all learners within a group. Copies of the challenges available on Equitas can be downloaded and used directly with learners.
The Citizenship Short Course contains six modules:
- Rights and responsibilities
- Community and volunteering
- Government and democracy
- Law and order
- Finance
- Global citizenship
Download sample pages from the Citizenship Short Course student book
Download sample activities from the Citizenship Short Course on Equitas
For guidance on running ASDAN Short Courses, please see our step-by-step guides:
ASDAN training supports educators to deliver this course successfully. Sessions provide an introduction, alongside guidance on planning, delivery, assessment and internal quality assurance. Training is not mandatory but is strongly recommended.
Training is included in ASDAN membership for organisations joining or renewing after 1 April 2026, excluding tailored INSET.
Book training in the members area
ASDAN members can also take part in our special interest groups. These online sessions focus on specific areas of practice and provide opportunities for discussion, collaboration and networking with other members.
All registration costs are per learner. Each learner must have their own registration. Registrations are valid for three years from the date of purchase.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Short Course student book | £12 |
| Short Course Equitas learner registration and digital learning platform login | £12 |
| Short Course PDF certificate | Free |
| Short Course printed and foiled certificate (optional, per learner, per Short Course) | £3.75 |
Volume pricing for Equitas Short Courses
We offer scalable pricing for Short Courses on Equitas. This pricing applies only to new registrations made together in a single transaction for the same Equitas Short Course:
- 1–9 learners: £12 per registration
- 10–19 learners: £8 per registration
- 20–29 learners: £6 per registration
- 30+ learners: £4 per registration
Products
Course resources
Citizenship Short Course - 1A4: Identifying and tackling disrespectful behaviour
This resource contains worksheets linked to challenge 1A4 of the Citizenship Short Course. Learners are asked to work in groups to identify disrespectful behaviour that they have witnessed (e.g. bullying, racist language, vandalism), before suggesting ways to increase respect for others and reduce this kind of behaviour.
Citizenship Short Course - 1A4: Respecting others
This PowerPoint can be used to support challenge 1A4 of the Citizenship Short Course. It provides structure for a group discussion based on disrespectful behaviour that learners have witnessed; learners then work together as a group to come up with three ways to increase respect and reduce the disrespectful behaviour they identified. This activity is based around discussion and communication skills, and could be used as part of Ant-Bullying Week.
Citizenship Short Course - 3A5: Referendums
This PowerPoint explores political referendums and the positive and negative aspects of making decisions by referendum. The 2014 referendum on Scottish independence referendum is cited as an example and learners are asked to research the upcoming EU referendum before holding their own. This resource links to challenge 3A5 of the Citizenship Short Course.
Citizenship Short Course - 3A7: UK political parties
This PowerPoint presentation can be used to structure a lesson around the main UK political parties. As a starter, learners are asked to name as many UK political parties as they can before moving on to discuss some of the key differences between parties. Learners then choose a political party to research in more depth and create a fact sheet about their chosen party and their main viewpoints. As a plenary, learners hold their own group vote to see how they would vote in the next local or general election. This resource links to challenge 3A7 of the Citizenship Short Course.
Citizenship Short Course - 3A7: UK political party fact sheet template
This fact sheet template can be used to show information about a UK political party and their main viewpoints. This resource links to challenge 3A7 of the Citizenship Short Course.
British Values and Citizenship Short Course: Mapping document
The vast majority of what is loosely defined by Ofsted as British Values is included in Modules 1, 3 and 4 of the ASDAN Citizenship Short Course. This resource describes the understanding and knowledge expected of pupils as a result of schools promoting fundamental British values. Where there are obvious opportunities to cover this content other ASDAN materials, aside from the Citizenship Short Course, this is also noted.
Evaluation chart (individual)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week individual activity. Learners are asked to mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt; at the end of the project the learner should join up the marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Evaluation chart (group)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week group activity. Each member of the group should choose a different colour and mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt. At the end of the project, each group member then joins up their marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Planning a group or team task
This resource can be used when planning a group or team task. It links particularly well to ASDAN's Short Course programmes.
Self-evaluation template
This generic self-evaluation template can be used by learners to evaluate almost any group activity. Learners are asked to record how they felt about the activity and pick out the best and worst bits, before reflecting on what they could do better next time. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Teamwork health check
This generic teamwork health check template can support a wide range of group activities. Learners are asked to come up with a list of agreed ground rules for good teamwork, then rate each group member's performance against these criteria. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Chinese New Year traditions PowerPoint
This PowerPoint can be used alongside resources The Chinese Zodiac and Chinese New Year: Make a Traditional Red Envelope. It gives a brief introduction to Chinese New Year traditions and the Chinese Zodiac, before moving on to an activity to make a traditional red envelope.
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : Word version (mandatory)