The big democracy lesson
Case study overview
The Big Democracy Lesson is a set of free classroom resources that introduces primary pupils to democracy and the different ways they can participate. Designed for teachers to use during school time, the lessons begin with experiences children already understand, such as classroom votes and school councils. These familiar examples provide a starting point for exploring how decisions are made and how people can influence them. The programme helps children build democratic skills long before they reach voting age. Pupils practise forming and expressing opinions, listening to others and making decisions together.
How it worked
Ready-to-use resources were created for pupils across Key Stages 1 and 2, with the activities adapted for different ages.
- KS1 pupils explored what voting means, how groups can make fair decisions and what information helps people make choices. Activities encouraged them to share their views and listen to others.
- KS2 pupils explored the roles of citizens, MPs, UK Parliament and government. They considered how democratic decisions are made and how they could influence change in their schools and communities.
Across both Key Stages, practical voting activities and familiar examples connected democratic ideas to pupils’ everyday experiences.
Teachers could download the resources and deliver them at a time that suited their classes. During the campaign, 180 teachers used the lessons with 1,300 pupils across 32 schools. The materials remain freely available through Young Citizens.
Impact
Post-session surveys showed that the activities helped pupils think carefully about problems, express their opinions clearly and listen to different points of view. They also practised respecting others, working as a team and making decisions collectively.
The lessons encouraged pupils to see democracy as something they could take part in, rather than something that only concerned adults or elected politicians.
At the live launch, one pupil reflected:
“I didn’t realise until today that I have power to make changes where I live.”
Key strengths
Starting with experiences pupils already understood made wider democratic ideas easier to explore.
At the live launch, pupils were enthusiastic about the voting activities. These prompted thoughtful discussions about why voting can be a fair way for groups to make decisions and how this connects to democracy more widely.
The lessons also helped pupils understand their own place within democracy. KS2 pupils began distinguishing between the roles of citizens, MPs, UK Parliament and government, while recognising that democratic participation involves more than voting.
Providing ready-to-use resources made it easier for teachers to deliver the lessons in existing classroom time.
Key learning
- Begin with familiar experiences, such as classroom decisions or school council elections, before introducing more complex democratic systems.
- Give pupils opportunities to practise democratic skills rather than only learning political terms.
- Build discussion and decision-making into everyday classroom life, so pupils get used to expressing a view, explaining their reasoning and listening to other perspectives.
- Revisit democratic ideas over time, giving pupils opportunities to build from simple choices and participation towards more complex ideas about representation, elections and political systems.
Further information
For more information about the workshop and related resources, visit Young Citizens.