Politicians have a great deal of power over us, but how much power do we have over our politicians? Studying A Level Politics will provide insight into political beliefs central to an understanding of the modern world. Analytical and evaluative skills will be developed in relation to topics prevalent in this current, fraught political climate.
Whether it be discerning fact from fiction, genuine stories from fake news or understanding the ideas and reasons for what we believe in. A Level Politics provides that in-depth look into the relationships we have and where, who and who should have power. It also allows for the study of global affairs how different actors, both state and nonstate, interact with each other.
Knowledge Term 1
Term 2
Skills Term 3
UK Democracy 12
UK Political Parties and Election Systems Voting Behaviour and Media
UK Parliament and the UK Executive (PM) UK Constitution and Relations Between Branches
Revision and Exams
Introduction to Ideologies; Conservatism, Liberalism and Socialism
Easy Structure
Global Governance; European Union and Regionalism Political, Economic, Power and Developments Human Rights and the Environment
Evaluation
13
Globalisation and the Nation State
Analysis
Comparative Global Theories
Knowledge and Understanding
Feminism
In Year 12 we begin by looking at the basis of UK Politics. Starting with the Nature of UK Democracy and Political Parties. These two introductory topics help to form the basis of the rest of the UK part of the course. The Democracy part of the topic is all encompassing and provides a useful foundation for the other parts to come. The Political Parties section fits neatly into the Sept/Oct period as it aligns with the UK Party Conference season. The second half of the term focuses on Elections and Voting Behaviour. These two topics compliment each other and links can be made when teaching both. In 2019 it ran alongside the General Election which certainly helped understanding. After Christmas we move to the UK Government section of the course and begin with Parliament and Constitution. These two topics are useful starting points for understanding how the UK Government system works. We try to tie in a trip to Parliament around February to link this in. The second half of the term focuses on The PM and Cabinet and the Judiciary and relationships between the branches. The final topic needs to be done last as it brings together the other topics studied. We then begin the Ideologies part of the course starting with Liberalism - the reason for this is that it acts as a bridge between Socialism and Conservatism - there being liberal traditions in both the New Right and the Third Way. If time, we begin Feminism, our non-core ideology option. There will be a summer exam that will cover most of these topics.
Term 1
Topic
Summary of Content
Assessment
UK Political Parties And Election Systems
UK Democracy and Voting Behaviour and the Media
UK Political Party system, Established Political Parties, Minor Political Parties, UK parties in Context, Different election systems, referendums, Electoral reform debates in context
Representative vs. Direct Democracy, Debates over franchise and suffrage, Pressure groups and other influences, Rights, Case studies of three general elections for voting behaviour, role of the media in general elections
Term 2
Term 3
UK Parliament and the UK Executive (PM)
UK Constitution and Relations between the Branches
Intro to Ideologies and Conservatism
Liberalism
Plus Begin Feminism
Socialism
Structure of House of Commons and House of Lords, Comparative Powers of both chambers, the Legislative process, Interaction between Parliament and Executive, Structure, roles and powers of the Executive, Ministerial and Collective responsibility, The powers of the PM and events that have shaped previous PM’s tenure
The Nature of the UK Constitution, Reforms since 1997, Devolution, Debates on further reform, The UK Supreme Court and the UK Justice System, Relationship between Executive and Legislature, Impact of the EU on the UK, Location of Sovereignty in the UK
Conservatism Core Ideas, Strands within Conservatism, Key Conservative Thinkers,
A mixture of Prep and Timed essays and Source Questions
Feminism Core deas, Strands within Feminism, Key Feminist Thinkers
Mock exams Timed essay questions
and
Liberalism Core Ideas, Strands within Liberalism, Key Liberal Thinker, Socialism Core Ideas, Strands within Socialism, Key Socialist Thinkers
Timed essays
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/Politics/2017/Specification%20and%20sample%20assessments/A-level-Politics-Specification.pdf
We begin the year by finishing off the ideologies, part of the course and we study Feminism as our optional non-core ideology. Given the political significance and relevance of things such as the #metoo movement and the gender pay gap we find this more appealing and the students to be more engaged compared to the other potential options. The course then splits into two sides for the Global Politics option. The reason we pick the Global Politics (rather than the US Politics) option is that it is more relevant to an increasingly globalised world. The US option is also very ‘samey’ and repeats many of the topics studied in the UK but just in the US. Therefore the global option is preferred by staff and students alike. We begin with the IR theories section of the course as it links ideally with the ideologies just studied and forms a nice base for essay writing for the rest of the global course. This is then followed by Nation States and Globalisation and then Power. These fit neatly on to the back of the IR theories. We finish the side of the course by studying the EU (a recap from the relations part of the UK) and regionalism. Concurrent to this, on the other side of the course - students will study with one teacher the four ‘Global Governances’ - Political, Economic, Human Rights and The Environment keeping these four linked topics together. Time at the end will be given over for essay planning and past paper questions.
Term 1
Topic
Finish Feminism and Global Politics: Comparative Theories Realism, Liberalism, Divisions between the ideas, Anarchical society theory, Theories in practice since 2000
Summary of Content
Assessment
Mock Exams
The Nation State and Globalisation The EU and Regionalism
The State, Globalisation, Effect of globalisation on global governance Regionalism, Development of Regional Institutions, European Integration, Significance of the EU and the role that Regional bodies have on Global Governance Challenges
Term 2 Global Governance: Political and Economic, Human Rights and The Environment Political organisations NATO and the UN, Economic organisations - IMF, World Bank, WTO, G8 and G20, issues surrounding poverty, Evaluating these institutions, Human Rights development of ICC, ICC, UNHCR and ECHR as well as tribunals, Environmental IPCC and UNFCCC, Evaluating these
Power and Developments
Types of Power, State Powers, Polarity, Different systems of government, , Spread of Democracy and the rule of Law
Term 3
Revision and Exams
Essay Planning and past paper practice.
A mixture of Prep and Timed essays and Source Questions Mock exams plus A mixture of Prep and Timed essay questions
Exams
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/Politics/2017/Specification%20and%20sample%20assessments/A-level-Politics-Specification.pdf
Underpinning our knowledge rich curriculum are essential skills. Both knowledge and skills intertwine to enrich the learning experience of our students at Holyport College. Our curriculum has been designed to ensure the students acquire the knowledge and skills that they need and gives them opportunities to practice and apply them over time, in order to master them. The following skills are vitally important and are assessed at regular intervals throughout each academic year.
These are the descriptors' for the key skills in Politics;
Knowledge and Understanding (AO1)
Demonstrates thorough and in-depth knowledge and understanding of political institutions, processes, concepts, theories and issues, which are effectively selected in order to underpin analysis and evaluation
Analysis (AO2)
Constructs fully relevant evaluation of political information, constructing fully effective arguments and judgements, which are consistently substantiated and lead to fully focused and justified conclusions
Perceptive comparative analysis of political information, with sustained, logical chains of reasoning, drawing on similarities and differences within political information, which make cohesive and convincing connections between ideas and concepts
Evaluation (A03)
Easy Structure (General)
Is able to structure an essay, using a thematic approach that neutrality weighs up arguments and ideas and comes to a consistent and well reasoned conclusion based on the evidence presented.
Link to full A Level and GCSE Skills Assessment Grid for Politics