Overview

A Level Politics will enable students to develop knowledge and an informed understanding of contemporary political structures, both within the United Kingdom (UK) and globally. It will also enable them to develop a critical awareness of the changing nature of politics and the relationships between political ideas, institutions and processes. Component One explores the nature of politics and how people engage in the political process in the UK and covers Democracy and Participation, Political Parties, Electoral systems, Voting behaviour and the media. It also allows students to explore the three traditional political ideas of conservatism, liberalism and socialism. Component Two is fundamental to understanding the nature of UK government, since it enables students to understand where, how and by whom political decisions are made. It also includes the exploration of Feminism how it applies in practice to human nature, the state, society and the economy. Component Three cover the Government and Politics of the USA, as a world power, understanding the nature of US democracy, and the debates surrounding it, is crucial given the considerable impact that the USA has on UK, European and global politics

KS5 Intent Statement

Our KS5 Politics curriculum is a rich, wide-ranging and challenging curriculum that will develop students understanding of contemporary political institutions, processes and theory. Students will follow the Edexcel A Level specification which reflects the demands of a modern and evolving political environment, both in the United Kingdom and the United States. Students gain a deep understanding of key political themes and ideologies that thread through the foundations of both British and American politics. In Year 12 students will study the nature and structure of UK politics from analysing and understanding voting behaviour to evaluating the strength of the different branches of government. This will be accompanied by an engaging analysis of the three defining ideologies of Conservatism, Liberalism and Socialism and the continually evolving ideas of Feminism. This subject knowledge prepares with the core principles to approach the comparative challenges of studying US Politics in Year 13, ultimately concluding in students being able to compare and contrast key themes and principles within both political systems.
Furthermore, Politics aims to inspire students further in their learning, beyond the taught curriculum with a programme of further higher-level reading from a range of sources including political scientists, commentators and politicians. There are also outside of the classroom opportunities, guest speakers, Top University event for students to engage further interests.
Students can further develop their political skills of analysis and evaluation through a range of different assessment objectives, that challenge students to consider the high level debate questions posed within the political sphere. Not only this, but politics also requires students to engage with aspects of Economics, Law and Public policy, culminating in a well-rounded understanding and well-established perspective on Political opinion.

Qualification Details

Exam Board: Edexcel
Qualification Title: Politics
Qualification Specification Code: 9PL0
Qualification Webpage: Click here to visit the Edexcel webpage for the specification.

Entry Requirements

Standard Sixth Form entry requirements

What will I study in this qualification?

The summary of components is as follows:
• Unit 1: UK Politics
• Unit 2: UK Government
• Unit 3: Comparative Politic

Possible Career Paths

Politics lends itself to a variety of degree courses including Law, International Relations, History, Economics Journalism, Business and Finance and of course Politics. It supports careers where analytical skills are essential, for example management, finance, government, industry and business environments.