GCSE Citizenship Studies Topics by Exam Board: Full List

Working out which GCSE Citizenship Studies topics you need to revise can feel confusing because each exam board sets its own content, yet many themes overlap. This is because all boards must cover the same core citizenship knowledge and skills. If you want a quick overview of the course before checking your exam-board topics, take a look at our guide explaining what GCSE Citizenship Studies includes.

This guide breaks everything down clearly so you know exactly which topics apply to your exam board and how to use them to plan focused, effective revision.

Key Takeaways

• Each exam board has its own set of GCSE Citizenship Studies topics, so it is important to revise the content for your specific course.

• This guide includes clear topic lists for AQA, Edexcel and OCR to help you understand exactly what you need to learn.

• You will see how the topics overlap across boards, which helps you focus on the core ideas that appear in every exam.

• Use the topic lists to plan your revision, build checklists and organise your study around the themes that matter most.

Why Knowing Your Exam Board Matters

Your exam board decides the structure of your course, the topics you study and the skills you are assessed on. Although many GCSE Citizenship Studies topics overlap, each board emphasises different areas. Some include more political education, while others focus more on law, rights or active citizenship.

Knowing your exam board helps you revise the right content, choose accurate case studies and understand how your exam papers are organised. It also makes revision more efficient because you can match what you study to the themes and questions in your specific course.

AQA GCSE Citizenship Studies Topics

AQA (opens in a new tab) (8100) organises its GCSE Citizenship Studies course into five clear content areas.

1. Citizenship Skills, Processes and Methods

This area runs across the whole course. You learn how to:

• Analyse information and spot bias

• Build balanced arguments using evidence

• Interpret sources and research issues

• Participate in discussions and explain viewpoints

• Plan, carry out and evaluate citizenship actions

These skills appear in many exam questions, including the active citizenship section.

2. Life in Modern Britain

This theme explores the make-up, values and identity of the UK today.
You should revise:

• The principles and values that underpin British society

• British rights, duties and freedoms

• Identity and diversity, including multiple identities

• Population change, migration and its impact on communities

• Mutual respect, community cohesion and tackling discrimination

• The role of traditional and new media, including press freedom, influence and accuracy

• The UK’s role in international organisations such as the UN, NATO, EU (post-Brexit), and the Commonwealth

• How citizens participate in society, campaign for change and challenge injustice

3. Rights and Responsibilities

This theme focuses on human rights, the law and responsibilities in everyday life.
You should revise:

• Human, moral, legal and political rights and responsibilities

• Human rights frameworks such as the Human Rights Act, UDHR and ECHR

• Balancing conflicting rights in different situations

• How laws are made in the UK

• Criminal and civil law

• The justice system, including police, courts, judges and magistrates

• Legal rights on arrest

• Rights and responsibilities in school, work and the wider community

4. Politics and Participation

This theme looks at how democracy works and how citizens influence decisions.
You should revise:

• The structure of UK government and who makes decisions

• How elections work and who can vote

• Political parties and their broad differences

• Representative versus direct democracy (elections and referendums)

• How government is formed, including coalitions

• How Parliament works, including Commons, Lords, PM, Cabinet, committees and MPs

• Ways citizens participate, such as voting, campaigning, pressure groups, petitions and volunteering

• How individuals and groups hold those in power to account

5. Active Citizenship

This theme prepares you for planning and evaluating real citizenship action.
You should revise:

• How to identify an issue linked to citizenship concepts

• How to carry out primary and secondary research

• How to analyse evidence and understand competing viewpoints

• How to plan an action with clear aims, methods and roles

• How to influence a target audience using campaigns, petitions or events

• How to evaluate the success and impact of an action

• Examples of real citizenship actions and why they were effective

Edexcel GCSE Citizenship Studies Topics

Edexcel (opens in a new tab) (1CS0) arranges the GCSE Citizenship Studies course around five main themes. Each theme explores a different part of life in the UK, including identity, democracy, law, power and active citizenship. Use the lists below as a revision checklist for each theme.

Theme A: Living Together in the UK

This theme explores identity, diversity and the values that underpin life in the UK.

You should revise:

• The changing UK population (age, ethnicity, religion, disability)

• Migration, reasons people move, and the impact on communities

• Identity and multiple identities (local, national, ethnic, cultural)

• Respect, equality and diversity; how discrimination affects communities

• The Equality Act 2010 and how it protects against discrimination

• Key democratic rights, freedoms and duties (equality, speech, privacy, representation)

• Human rights frameworks:

  • Magna Carta

  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

  • European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)

  • UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

  • Human Rights Act 1998

• The rule of law and balancing competing rights

• Local democracy: councillors vs officers, how councils work and are funded
  (council tax, business rates, grants)

Theme B: Democracy at Work in the UK

This theme explains how democracy functions and how decisions are made at national and devolved levels.

You should know:

• Philosophical differences between major political parties

• How candidates are selected and who can vote

• Representative vs direct democracy (elections vs referendums)

• The first-past-the-post voting system and its strengths/weaknesses

• How proportional representation differs

• Forming a government (majority, coalition, role of the monarch)

• Organisation of government departments and civil servants

• Parliament:

  • House of Commons and House of Lords

  • Roles of PM, Cabinet, ministers, opposition, Speaker, whips, MPs

  • Legislative process (how a bill becomes law)

• The British constitution (uncodified), parliamentary sovereignty, judicial review

• Devolution: powers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

• Taxation and government spending

• Government budgeting and public money decisions

Theme C: How the Law Works

This theme explores why laws exist and how the justice system works in England and Wales.

You should revise:

• Why society needs laws

• How law affects everyday life

• Legal age limits (criminal responsibility, driving, marriage, work, voting)

• Fundamental principles:

  • Rule of law

  • Presumption of innocence

  • Equality before the law

  • Access to justice

• Sources of law (common law vs statute law)

• Criminal vs civil law (purposes and examples)

• Justice system roles:

  • Police

  • Judges

  • Magistrates

  • Legal representatives

• Rights on arrest (information, solicitor, informing someone)

• Courts:

  • Magistrates’ courts and Crown Court

  • County Court and High Court

  • Tribunals and mediation

• Youth justice system: how it works and why it is different

• Crime in society: why crime rates change, reasons for reoffending

• Sentencing and punishment: prison, community sentences, restorative justice

Theme D: Power and Influence

This theme examines how individuals, groups, institutions and countries exercise power.

You should revise:

• Opportunities and barriers to citizen participation (local and national)

• Ways citizens can influence decisions: voting, joining parties, pressure groups, petitions, demonstrations, volunteering

• Digital democracy and online political participation

• Differences between political participation in the UK and in one other democratic and one non-democratic system

• Roles of public institutions, public services, charities and voluntary groups

• Trade unions: origins, purpose and workplace rights

• Examples of community action: challenging injustice or improving local issues

• Media and free press: informing, influencing and holding power to account

• Media rights and responsibilities (accuracy, privacy, dignity, press regulation)

• How people and organisations use the media to influence opinion

• The UK’s relationship with Europe after Brexit

• UK’s role in global organisations: UN, NATO, Commonwealth, WTO

• Global issues: conflict, humanitarian law, NGOs, protecting people in crisis

• An example of the UK’s role in an international disagreement or conflict

Theme E: Taking Citizenship Action

This theme requires students to complete an investigation and real citizenship action.

You should know how to:

• Identify an issue linked to citizenship concepts

• Carry out secondary and primary research

• Understand different viewpoints and why some evidence is more persuasive

• Plan the action (goals, methods, roles, resources, timeline)

• Work as a team to deliver the action (event, campaign or community project)

• Influence or persuade a target audience

• Evaluate the impact of the action and what you learned

• Follow the six stages of the Edexcel action model

• Provide a 20-word title for the action in the exam

OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies Topics

OCR (opens in a new tab) (J270) divides the course into three main units.

Section 1: Rights, the Law and the Legal System in England and Wales

You should revise:

• Human, moral, legal and political rights and responsibilities

• Key human rights frameworks (e.g. Magna Carta, UDHR, ECHR, UNCRC, Human Rights Act)

• Age of criminal responsibility and other key legal ages

• Fundamental legal principles: rule of law, presumption of innocence, equality before the law

• Why societies need laws and how laws deal with fairness, justice and discrimination

• Differences between criminal and civil law and main sources of law (common law, legislation, precedent)

• Roles of police, judges, magistrates, legal representatives and different courts (including tribunals)

• How the youth justice system works and how it differs from adult courts

• Crime patterns, factors affecting crime and different types of sentence and punishment

Section 2: Democracy and Government

You should revise:

• What democracy is and key democratic values (e.g. rule of law, tolerance, equal opportunity)

• How UK elections and voting work, including First-Past-the-Post and other voting systems

• Main UK political parties and their broad differences

• How national, local and devolved government are organised and what they do

• The British constitution: separation of powers, Parliament, government, judiciary and the Monarch

• Roles of the PM, Cabinet, ministers, MPs, House of Commons and House of Lords

• How Parliament holds government to account (scrutiny, select committees)

• Taxation and public spending: how money is raised and where it goes

• Role of the media and free press in informing, influencing and holding power to account

• Ways citizens can participate: voting, campaigns, pressure groups, petitions, volunteering and digital democracy

• How political participation in the UK compares with one other democratic and one non-democratic system

Section 3: The UK and the Wider World

You should revise:

• Factors that shape identity and diversity in UK society, including multiple identities

• Migration and asylum: reasons people move, patterns of migration and their impact on communities

• The benefits and challenges of immigration and different viewpoints on immigration control

• Community cohesion and why mutual respect and understanding are important in a democracy

• The UK’s membership of international organisations (UN, NATO, Commonwealth, Council of Europe, WTO)

• The UK’s relationship with the European Union after Brexit and how decisions affect migration, trade and travel

• How the UK responds to international crises or conflicts (e.g. using mediation, sanctions, or force)

• Purpose of International Humanitarian Law and how it protects civilians in conflict

• Role of international NGOs in crises and how they support people in need

Section 4: Citizenship Action

You should know how to:

• Work with others to identify and research a real citizenship issue using primary and secondary sources

• Link the issue to rights, democracy, law or identities in the UK

• Understand different viewpoints and explain your own opinion on the issue

• Plan a practical citizenship action with clear aims and methods

• Take action (e.g. campaign, event, lobbying, awareness project) to influence change

• Evaluate how effective the action was and what you learned from it

What Topics Do All Exam Boards Cover?

Even though AQA, Edexcel and OCR organise their courses differently, all GCSE Citizenship Studies specifications share the same core ideas. The reason for this is simple: the government requires all GCSE specifications to cover the same core citizenship knowledge and skills. They are set out by the Department for Education (opens in a new tab).

This means that no matter which board you study, you’ll cover these main areas:

Democracy and How the UK Is Governed

All boards teach:

• what democracy is

• how UK elections work

• the role of Parliament and government

• how citizens can influence decision-making

Rights, Responsibilities and the Law

Every specification covers:

• human rights frameworks (e.g. UDHR, ECHR, Human Rights Act)

• protected rights and freedoms

• the difference between criminal and civil law

• principles like the rule of law and presumption of innocence

• the justice system, including courts and police

Identity, Diversity and Life in the UK

All students study:

• identity and multiple identities

• migration and population changes

• diversity, community cohesion, equality and discrimination

• the values that underpin modern British society

Active Citizenship / Taking Action

All exam boards require you to learn about how citizens bring about change.
You must understand:

• planning and researching a citizenship action

• working with others to influence a target audience

• evaluating the impact of an action

The UK’s Role in the Wider World

Each board includes:

• international organisations (UN, NATO, Commonwealth, WTO)

• the UK’s relationships with other countries

• global issues such as conflict, humanitarian aid or international law

Case studies from current events work particularly well for this part of the course.

Revision Tips for Citizenship Studies

GCSE Citizenship Studies tests your knowledge of the key themes, backed up by real examples, and involving extended writing. 

Therefore, the best revision plans will cover all three. Try these practical strategies.

1. Use Real Examples in Every Topic

Examples make your answers stronger. Create a short list for each theme, such as:

• a recent election or political decision

• a court case or change in the law

• an example of discrimination or community action

• a current international issue involving the UK

Update the list regularly so you can use fresh examples in long-answer questions.

2. Make Topic Checklists

Use the exam board lists in this guide to create a simple checklist for each paper. Tick topics off as you revise them. 

This makes your revision clear and manageable and ensures you cover everything on your specification.

3. Summarise Political and Legal Systems

Make quick-reference notes or flashcards on common topics such as:

• how Parliament works

• how laws are made

• roles of MPs, ministers, judges and courts

These areas appear often in exams, so clear summaries save time when revising.

4. Practise Long-Answer Questions

Citizenship Studies includes extended writing. To improve:

• plan answers using point–explain–example

• write timed responses to past paper questions

• focus on developing clear arguments supported by evidence

Ask a teacher to check whether your explanations are detailed enough.

5. Revise Little and Often

Short, focused sessions work better than long, unfocused ones. Active revision methods are always better than simply rereading notes. Our Learning Hub is packed with revision tips and strategies and tips to help you make the most of every session. Try consulting our guides to the best revision techniques and the best memorisation techniques.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does each exam board cover different topics?

Yes. All GCSE Citizenship Studies courses cover democracy, rights, law and active citizenship, but each exam board organises these themes differently. Some include more detail about UK politics, while others focus more on identity, communities or international issues. 

Always revise from your exam board’s specification.

How do I find out which exam board I am doing?

Your teacher or school will confirm this. You can also look at your school’s website or check your textbook, since most books match a particular exam board.

Are there any current affairs I should revise for Citizenship Studies?

Yes. Citizenship Studies often uses real examples. Focus on recent political events, changes in law and news stories about rights, justice and participation.

Final Thoughts

Knowing the exact GCSE Citizenship Studies topics for your exam board helps you revise with confidence and focus on the content that matters most. Once you know your topics and themes, you can build a targeted revision plan and link your learning to real examples and current events.

Save My Exams is packed with examiner-written, exam-specific resources that simplify revision and build real exam confidence. They’re designed to help you get the best possible grades with less effort and no overwhelm. Explore our GCSE revision resources to get started.

References:

• AQA | GCSE - Citizenship Studies 8100 (opens in a new tab)

• Edexcel | GCSE - Citizenship Studies (opens in a new tab)

• OCR | GCSE - Citizenship Studies J270 (opens in a new tab)

• GCSE citizenship studies - (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)