Politics
A Level
Given the turbulent political events of recent years, there has arguably never been a more exciting time to study Politics.
The Edexcel Politics A Level is a broad based, dynamic and engaging course that will give students a strong academic grounding in the government and politics of the UK and USA alongside the opportunity to explore some of the political ideas that have shaped modern world history. Students of Politics develop critical thinking skills and become adept in the art of rhetoric and debate, laying a secure foundation for ongoing study at university level.
The course encompasses a range of disciplines including history, economics and philosophy and is therefore the perfect choice for students who want to challenge themselves with a new area of study. An active department, we offer a range of opportunities within and outside of school for students to get involved and extend their political knowledge and experience.
The Politics A Level course comprises three components and starts with a study of the UK. In the first two terms students study the UK Government and consider questions such as ‘How powerful is the UK Prime Minister?’, ‘How effectively does the UK Supreme Court protect rights?’ and ‘Is Parliament in need of reform?’. Alongside this is a study UK Politics, addressing the core question ‘How Democratic is the UK?’ through an analysis of the UK media, pressure groups, political parties, human rights and elections.
Towards the end of Year 12, students move on to look at Political Ideologies. They will consider what the terms Conservatism, Liberalism and Socialism mean and how they have changed over time. They will also study the significance of Nationalism as a political movement, in situations ranging from the French Revolution to Brexit, and extending to global movements seeking post-colonial independence.
In the final year, the course is focused on the US and students build the skills required to make comparisons between the UK and US political systems by studying the US Constitution, the role of the President, Congress and the Supreme Court, and the extent to which elections and parties in the US are democratic. As part of this they will consider some of the key issues in contemporary American politics including racial equality, immigration, gun control, voting reform and campaign finance.
Politics complements a range of other A Level options and many of our students study it alongside sciences, creative subjects, humanities and other social sciences.
UK Politics
- Political Participation: democracy and participation, political parties, electoral systems, voting behaviour and the media
- Core Political Ideas: conservatism, liberalism, socialism
UK Government
- UK Government: the constitution, parliament, Prime Minister and executive, relationships between the branches
- Optional Political Ideas: one idea from the following: anarchism, ecologism, feminism, multiculturalism, nationalism
Comparative Politics
- The US Constitution and federalism, US congress, US presidency, US Supreme Court and civil rights, democracy and participation, comparative theories
