Government & Politics

WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE A LEVEL GOVERNMENT & POLITICS?

Ask yourself: How can you understand how the world works without understanding who and how it is controlled? An understanding of government will help to ensure that you are participating in the day to day life of your country! It is an interesting, relevant and exciting course that can lead to a fantastic future.

WHAT DOES THE COURSE INVOLVE?

You will study A Level Government and Politics. This will include the internal workings of the United Kingdom, from the role of the Queen to that of the Government and Parliament.  You will understand how the laws of the country are made and how they are implemented by the government. You will enhance your knowledge of the powers of each branch of the British Government, such as that of the Prime Minister and Parliament. You will also study the workings of the US government and its three branches, the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary and the power each one of these has, such as the right of the President to issue Executive Orders and those of Congress to declare war and peace.

HOW WILL I LEARN?

You will learn through a variety of methods; reading, research, presentations, group and paired work, discussions, hearing university speakers and meeting historians.  This is a modern politics course and, as such, modern media and news broadcasting will also feature greatly.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP?

You will develop your communication skills and be able to form an argument about many different topics. You will learn about how the world works and the complexities of government.  Verbal and written communication are equally as important in this course as you debate and discuss current political issues.  Politics is everywhere and understanding it is key to anybody’s future.

HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?

There will be three written examinations, equally split. These examinations will be two hours each. Paper 1 covers the Politics of the UK; Paper 2 covers the Government and Politics of the USA and Comparative Politics; Paper 3 covers Political Ideologies.

WHAT CAN A QUALIFICATION IN GOVERNMENT & POLITICS LEAD TO?

Many students go on to study Politics at university, either on its own or in combination with other subjects such as Philosophy and Economics. The subject also supports a broad range of applications, as an understanding of the contemporary world open up many other options at university.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Grade 6 in GCSE English.