Government and politics

Why should I study this course?

All members of society should have a better understanding of Politics because it gives an understanding of the general rules under which we live. For these rules to be effective, as many people as possible should be actively participating in making them, upholding them and even changing them. This is what is meant by ‘active citizenship’. A healthy society is a society in which many people participate in political activity and do so with insight and understanding.

Politics is likely to suit students who:

• Have an interest in the world around them- how it works and how it could work
• Enjoy debate, discussion and argument
• Enjoy weighing up and evaluating evidence in order to assess and communicate ideas and arguments
• Likes to develop their own views, rather than accept the views of others
• Want to develop knowledge and understanding of the role politics plays in relation to current local, national, and global issues

What will I learn?

BRITISH POLITICS

Paper 1: UK Government: the constitution, parliament, Prime Minister and executive, relationships between the branches

Non-core political ideas: ecologism

Paper 2: Political Participation: democracy and participation, political parties, electoral systems, voting behaviour and the media.  

Core Political Ideas: conservatism, liberalism, socialism.

Paper 3: THE STATE AND GLOBALISATION

Global governance (political and economic): human rights, environmental power and developments, Regionalism and the European Union, Comparative theories.

How will I learn?

Teacher–led activities, individual and group work, presentation and discussion. You will use textbooks, academic reading, primary sources, documentaries and digital resources in your political research. You will be formally assessed through extended writing answers and essays.

What can I do with my qualification?

There are plenty of higher education courses which are complementary to taking Government and Politics at A level – International Relations/Politics, History, Economics, Social Policy. The study of politics can lead to a variety of careers within areas such as journalism and broadcasting, management, publishing, public policy and policy research, interest groups, local government and the voluntary sector, law and politics itself.

What do students say?

This course is returning to the NBP16 curriculum from September 2022, following an increase in demand from our applicants in recent years.