Politics

Level 3 Pathway - In order to enrol onto our Level 3 courses, students must have achieved a minimum of 5 grade 4s at GCSE Level across 4 different subject areas; this should ideally include a Grade 4 for English Language and Mathematics.

It is important that students also pay attention to any individual subject entry requirements.

It may be that a small number of students are recommended to sit AS qualifications at the end of Year 12 in order to inform decisions about progression into Year 13, however these AS examinations are standalone and do not contribute to the overall A Level qualification.

Why?

Some people are disenchanted with the political system claiming that it is full of greedy, self-serving corruption; others are more hopeful and say that people go into politics to strive for genuine change. Wherever you stand, the Politics course will help you understand how the UK is governed and how British citizens participate in the political process. Beyond that, we also study how countries interact with each other in the global stage.

This subject helps to develop a range of transferable skills essential in a variety of professional and managerial careers, in or beyond the field of politics. You will find opportunities to focus on both written and verbal skills needed to present and discuss opinions critically and draw logical conclusions.

Course Structure

Component 1: Politics and Participation

This topic looks at political behaviour in the UK. It explores how different patterns of participation can be explained, including voting behaviour, the influence of electoral systems and the controversies surrounding the use of referendums. You will also study the main channels of influencing the decisions of government: joining a pressure group, using social media, supporting a political party and voting.

Component 2: UK Government

This unit focuses on the process of governing the UK exploring how power is dispersed from local to European levels. The unit also looks at the extent to which Britain's unique constitution regulates the process of government and maintains the balance between individual rights and the power of the state. The role of Westminster in providing a democratic element in government is examined, as well as well as the degree to which power rests in the hands of unelected bureaucrats.

Component 3: Comparative Politics

We live in an increasingly connected world, whether in terms of trade, culture or politics. There are more and more opportunities for different peoples and countries to work together, yet there are examples of peoples and countries moving back from global operation. In this component we will study the theories and examples of cooperation and competition between countries and look at the hotspots and rising stars of global politics.

As part of components 1 and 2, students will study 4 political ideologies and their influence: Conservatism, Socialism, Liberalism and either Nationalism or Feminism.

Extended Learning

Students will be expected to keep up-to-date with current issues in politics. The course will also involve preparing for discussions outside of lessons by learning about the process of politics.

level 3 Sixth Form entry requirements