Politics

Politics is at the heart of everything we do. It is inspiring, exciting and relevant. It is never dull or predictable. You will learn to identify political arguments, weigh evidence against opinion and come to understand how your life is affected by political activity. You will soon find out that politics is not just about men in grey suits! At A Level, you will explore topics such as why people vote for particular parties – is it the media, the appeal of leaders or are there longer-term factors such as age or class? Turnout in General Elections in recent years has declined in the post-war period but was very high in the Scottish Referendum – what does that tell us about participation in politics? You will explore the impact of BREXIT, devolution and human rights legislation on the way the UK is governed.

The course could hardly be more relevant as you find out what the political parties stand for and their role in the political system and, as more citizens take to the streets, you will consider whether protest is effective and how pressure groups can influence policy. You will also examine the ‘nuts and bolts’ of our political system; the power of the Prime Minister, the role of Parliament and the limitations placed on their powers by the Supreme Court.

In the second year, you will study the politics and government of the United States and use this to complete a comparative study with the UK. You will also explore some of the main ideological traditions in politics and investigate important questions of political philosophy, such as, what makes a just and fair society?