TEACHERS need more support and training to implement effective citizenship education, a survey showed today.

Two years after the subject was made a compulsory element in the National Curriculum for secondary schools, a new poll has revealed deep concerns among many teachers.

The research, commissioned by Community Service Volunteers (CSV), revealed more than half of the teachers surveyed (54%, up from 52% in 2003) indicated that having sufficient support to find opportunities for citizenship outside the school presented one of the greatest challenges to implementing the subject effectively.

There was also an increase in the number of teachers indicating they would prefer a dedicated training course in citizenship (28%, up from 17%).

The survey compared the attitudes of 194 pupils towards citizenship with those of their teachers at 68 schools across the country.

Called "Citizenship in the Curriculum - two years on", the study is published by CSV, the UK's largest training and volunteering charity.

The report's recommendations include the initiation by the Government of a "coherent and affordable" national training programme.

It also proposes greater encouragement for schools to involve pupils more fully in the planning and processes of the teaching of the subject.

Support

The authors also suggest extra support for extending Volunteer Teacher Support Teams nationwide to assist schools in building links with their communities.

Despite the concerns, the survey indicates strong support for the subject from pupils.

A quarter of students (25%) indicated that the subject had given them "more respect for the community", while 42% indicated that citizenship had either improved their confidence or improved their communication skills.

The majority (90%) felt that learning about citizenship was "useful"' - a finding mirrored by their teachers, who believe that their students view citizenship as "relevant to real life" (89%).

Almost a third (30%) of teachers felt that citizenship had improved behaviour.

The report also revealed that 94% of teachers indicated they enjoyed teaching citizenship "a lot" or "a little", while 78% of students enjoy being taught the subject.

Ten per cent of students indicated that citizenship had improved their learning.

Peter Hayes, director of CSV Education, said: "Support for citizenship amongst pupils and teachers is getting stronger and engagement of schools with their communities is paying dividends.

"Although it is still early days in the development of the subject, it is clear that training and support for teachers needs strengthening to sustain this important addition to the curriculum."