Politics

A-level Course

Politics is a live subject, which is probably why it is so popular with pupils looking for a new challenge after GCSEs. Not a day goes by without a news item in the quality press appearing that is directly relevant to the A level Politics course.

There are about 60 pupils studying Politics in the sixth form (30 in each year group) and pupils follow the Edexcel specification, specialising in American Politics in the A2 year. In the last three years only one candidate has failed to achieve an A or a B grade at A-level.

As a social science Politics combines well with a range of A-levels, including History, Economics and Philosophy. Pupils who study A-level politics go on to study a range of courses at university. Those who have choosen to continue their study of politics have done so at a range of universities including Oxford and Cambridge.

Lower 6th (Year 12)

Unit One: This unit is called "People and Politics" and it covers four topics: elections, democracy, pressure groups and political parties. Elections examines and attempts to explain recent UK election results and address whether or not the UK electoral system needs reform. Democracy looks at why participation in the UK continues to decline and whether or not the UK is experiencing a democratic deficit. The impact of pressure groups, examines whether or not they are able to influence the government and how they go about doing this. Finally, the political parties topics looks at role of political parties and the ideological characteristics of each of the main parties.

Unit Two: This unit is called "Governing the UK". and it covers four topics: the UK constitution, parliament, the executive and the judiciary. The constitution topic examines the uncodified nature of the UK constitution, and recent constitutional reform including devolution and the House of Lords. Parliament looks at the functions of Parliament and the extent to which it remains sovereign in the face of growing 'electoral dictatorship'. The executive topic examines the power of the Prime Minister and Cabinet addressing issues such as the idea that the Prime Minister is now in effect governing as a President and the marginalisation of Cabinet in the face of the rise of Special Advisors.  Finally, the judiciary, evaluates the increased power of the judiciary and whether or not the UK Supreme Court is on a collision course for conflict with the executive.

Upper 6th (Year 13)

Unit Three: This unit is called 'Representative Processes in the USA'. There are four topics: elections, pressure groups, parties, race and ethnicity. Elections considers the nature of Presidential and Congressional elections in the USA as well as the primary campaigns and the issues surrounding campaign finance. Pressure groups looks at the impact of special and public interest groups and whether or not they enhance the democratic process or simply contribute to the notion that the USA 'has the best democracy money can buy'. The nature of party politics in the United States considers issues such as party decline, the differences between the Republicans and Democrats and why bipartisanship has declined so sharply in recent years. Finally, pupils will study racial and ethnic politics in the USA, looking at the differences in representation experienced by different ethnic groups, the legal status of affirmitive action and the impact of immigration on the USA.

Unit Four: This Unit is called 'Governing the USA' and it mirrors the themes addressed in Unit 2 of the AS. As at AS there are four topics. We start with the constitution, which looks at the advantages and disadvantages of the codified US constitution, the impact of the amendment process and whether or not the constitution remains fit for purpose in the twenty first century. The second topic is congress, which examines the role of congress, and most significantly addresses its power within the system, and especially in relation to the President. The presidency is the third topic, where pupils examine the skills and attributes required to secure election to the presidency and the constantly evolving nature of Presidential power. The final topic is the judiciary. Pupils will look at the role of the judiciary in US politics and examine whether or not their considerable power gives the unelected justices of the Supreme Court too much influence over a democratic system.

The Examinations
In the AS year candidates sit the Unit 2 paper in January. Candidates are required to answer two questions from a choice of four. The first question is a structured response divided into three sections, while the second question is an essay. The Unit 1 paper is sat in June and pupils are required to answer two questions from a choice of four. Each question a structured response divided into three sections.

At A2 pupils sit the Unit Four exam in January and Unit Three in June. Both examinations have the same format: pupils are required to answer three structured questions from a choice of five and one essay from a choice of three.

Trips and Extra-curricular

External Speakers are invited to give lectures and the most recent have include Mike Weatherley (MP for Hove) talking about the 'life of a Parliamentarian', Professor Feldman (Birkbeck, London University) discussing 'Immigration in the UK' and Tim Bale (University of Sussex) examining why the Conservatives failed to win a majority in 2010.

In addition pupils have the option to visit the Houses of Parliament in the lower sixth, and there is a biannual trip to Washington D.C. and New York organised jointly with the History and Economics departments, which gives pupils the chance to visit the Supreme Court, Capitol Hill and the White House.