RFCDC Outside The Box
RFCDC In Plain English
The Democratic Culture Companion
The RFCDC Outside The Box Companion is a free, plain-English guide to the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC), for primary and secondary teachers and the people who train them. It has six short modules: what the framework is, how to recognise the competences in a lesson, how to plan with the descriptors, how to handle controversial issues, how to assess without grading learners, and how to make it work for every learner and across the whole school. Each module has 24 practice scenarios in total across the tool, with model responses, and one lesson from Democracy Outside The Box to try in your own class. The tool also explains the eleven communication checks learners use to improve their work, and how they sit alongside the RFCDC.
Teachers can work through the modules on their own in 30 to 45 minutes each, and use a private Before And After record to see what changed in their teaching over six weeks. Teacher educators get a ready-to-run 90-minute session plan for each module, with handouts, scenario cards and printable A4 sheets. The Companion responds to point 4(f) of the 2023 Council Conclusions on democratic citizenship, which invites Member States to build these competences into teacher training.
RFCDC Outside The Box Companion
The companion to Democracy Outside The Box: a plain-English way into the Council of Europe Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture for primary and secondary teachers. Six short modules show what the framework is, how to see it in a lesson, how to plan with it, how to handle hard topics, how to assess without scores and how to make it work for every learner. Each module uses a Democracy Outside The Box lesson as the worked example.
For teachers working on their own and for teacher educators running sessions. Built on RFCDC Volumes 1 to 3 (Council of Europe, 2018) and the RFCDC Teacher Reflection Tool (2021), in 169to1’s own words. A response to point 4(f) of the 2023 Council Conclusions on democratic citizenship. Sources checked on 18 October 2026.
The Six Modules
All Scenarios
Short classroom and school situations to practise on, two primary and two secondary for each module. Read the situation, write what you would do, then open the model response and the reasoning behind it.
A Model, Not The Only Answer. Each model response shows one sound way to handle the situation. Your own response may differ and still be good. The reasoning explains what matters most.
The 135 key descriptors from RFCDC Volume 2 in plain English, the same snapshot as in Democracy Outside The Box. They are numbered 1 to 135 by competence and level, and coloured by area and level as in Volume 2. Tap a row for what to look for and the lessons that use it.
A Reference, Not A Checklist. Volume 1 calls the descriptors a toolbox to pick from, not a to-do list. Choose two to four for a lesson.
The eleven communication checks that learners use in Democracy Outside The Box to improve the letters, talks, posters and proposals they make. This tab explains how they work alongside the RFCDC, so you can teach them with confidence.
The Eleven Checks
The Levels Judge The Work, Not The Learner. Learners use the checks on a draft, their own or a partner’s, and improve it before it goes out. The levels are never a score for a competence and never a judgement on a learner’s values or views.
Timings Add Up To 90 Minutes. Every plan has a shorter 60-minute version and notes for running it online. Participants are never scored, in the same way the tool asks teachers not to score learners.
Every claim in the modules traces to a named source. This list shows each source with its title, date and link, and what it supports in this tool. The Council of Europe and European Commission material that this Companion sits alongside comes first.
How To Read This List. Sources are from 2020 onwards, except the RFCDC volumes themselves (2018), which are the framework. Check them again before quoting, as sources are updated.
Your Training Pack
Each module has a one-page handout, a page of scenario cards with model responses and a one-page session plan. Add modules to your pack, choose what to include and print.
Your pack is empty. Use Add To Pack on any module, or add all six.
Printing opens the sheets on their own page. Use the Print button at the top, or on a phone use Share and then Print, to save a PDF. Each sheet is fixed to one A4 page.
Guides And Records
Ready to print, in the same A4 format as the Democracy Outside The Box sheets.
Companion Guide
Two pages: what the tool is, the six modules, the routes for teachers and teacher educators, and the rules the tool follows.
Reflection Log
Three pages: a short note after each module, the lessons you try, and a Before And After page to see what changed over six weeks. No scores or rating scales.
Lesson Planner
One page for choosing two to four descriptors for a lesson, with the three tests: can it be seen, does it fit the age band, is it fair to every learner.
How The Checks Fit The RFCDC
One page: the two layers, descriptors and checks, why the checks follow Volume 3, what they are not, and the RFCDC competences each check practises.
Checks Rubric And Score Sheet, Ages 11 To 16
Three pages: all eleven checks at four levels, and a score sheet for the piece of work. The same rubric learners use in Democracy Outside The Box.
Checks Poster, Ages 9 To 10
One page: eleven simple questions with three steps for checking a piece of work.
Teacher Stances Card
One page for Module 4: the seven stances a teacher can take on a controversial issue, with when each helps and what to watch for.
Key Descriptor Snapshot
The 135 key descriptors from RFCDC Volume 2 in plain English, coloured by area and level, with those used in Democracy Outside The Box lessons marked.
The 20 Competences
One page: the four areas and 20 competences in plain English, for the staffroom wall or a training session.
Why This Tool Exists
One page: the Council Conclusions, the 2023 review and the EU consultation, and how this Companion responds.
Source List
Every source used in the modules, with dates, links and what each one supports.
RFCDC Volume 2 · Reference Snapshot
The 135 Key Descriptors
In plain English, coloured by area and level as in Volume 2. A reference, not a checklist.
