
I was also shown work produced by the school's citizenship students, including a film they had made about the dictatorship in Burma and how the military government spent the majority of the national wealth on arms. The film documented the students' campaign. Since one of the major investors in Burma is the petrol company Total, it showed how their campaign led to a protest outside a Total petrol station. As a result the students have now been invited to the Head Office of Total to discuss the company's policies.
It's great that students are now learning about what it means to be an active citizen and the importance of being involved in the local community. I was hugely impressed by the way the school teaches this subject and by the students' work. It is clear that the pupils really enjoy and benefit from these citizenship classes.
Ben Hammond, Head of Citizenship at Deptford Green School, said:
"I was delighted that Joan Ruddock was able to attend the launch of Deptford Green's 2008 Community Survey. It is an innovative and motivating way to learn about politics, and the students have been really excited about starting the project - it was a great boost for them to see the support offered by our local MP."