Politics

This subject provides the opportunity to study something new, something you have not been able to do at GCSE. There are no specific qualifications necessary to study Politics. It complements subjects like English, economics, history and geography and it also makes an interesting addition to sciences courses.

You will enjoy this subject if you like a good argument, are interested in what happens in the world, would like to know how decisions are made that affect our lives and if you would like to improve your analytical skills.

What will you study and learn?

You will develop a critical awareness of politics and study the main aspects of the UK political system. We look at the ideas behind politics, like power, and then see how they work in reality. In Year 13 we study American politics.

Course content and examinations

In Year 12, students will study:

• Government and politics of the UK: the nature and sources of the British constitution, the structure and role of Parliament, the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the judiciary, devolution, democracy and participation, elections and referendums, political parties, pressure groups and the political consequences of leaving the European Union.

In Year 13, there are two further units :

• The government and politics of the USA
• Political ideas: Conservatism, Liberalism, Socialism and Feminism

At A-level all units are assessed through a mixture of medium length ‘explain’ and essay style questions.

Where could the subject take you?

This is a highly regarded academic course which should encourage you to be a clear thinker and a confident participant in discussion. This is one of the more unusual subjects so it can help you to stand out from the crowd on an application form. It is particularly useful if you are thinking of studying law, history, geography, business or economics but it is also very useful for the rest of your life! In whatever future career that you are interested in, an understanding of the political environment in which your career exists will be of significant benefit to you.