Government and Politics

Course summary

With the ongoing build up to the next Presidential election next year, and with the groundwork being laid for the next General Election in the UK influencing the significant state of flux that permeates British politics at the moment, the study of Politics has never seemed more crucial to a young and enquiring mind. The vast range of political ‘earthquakes’ that has happened in recent years has helped to make Politics A Level simultaneously fascinating, intriguing and compelling. How did Donald Trump stun the world, defy the polls and find himself in the White House after the 2016 US Presidential election (despite more people voting for Hillary Clinton)? And what impact has Donald Trump had on American politics since then? Can the current fractured state of America be resolved - and what impact will the looming Presidential election have on this? Closer to home, despite commanding a comfortable majority in the House of Commons, just how much power does Rishi Sunak really have? What will his leadership mean for the Conservative Party, and British Politics in general? Will continuing tension over Brexit and the economy spell the end for the Union and lead to Scottish independence? And what does a resurgent Labour party, under Sir Keir Starmer, mean for the next general election? We live in an age dominated by fascinating political questions and feisty opinions. A Level Politics aims to provide students with the tools to investigate such issues and enables pupils to understand the rapidly changing world swirling around them. Politics is a live subject and, in our experience, this unpredictable and vibrant element of the discipline makes it suitable and illuminating for any inquisitive mind. This two year course aims to develop students’ awareness of both the UK and US political systems as well as investigating some major ideologies. A visit to Washington, D.C. is run by the History & Politics department every two years (next scheduled for October 2025) to enhance students’ understanding of how Congress and the Supreme Court operates. On our last visit, we even got to watch a vote take place in the Senate! Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to develop their capacity for critical thinking, to see relationships between different aspects of the subject and relate the theory of the course to the current political scene in the UK and the United States. An understanding of the theories and motives which underpin political decision making and the ability to argue a case coherently will also be important elements. The course will also introduce students to a number of political ideologies, and further their understanding of how these belief systems have shaped - and continue to shape - political institutions, political discourse, and political actions on both sides of the Atlantic. A keen interest in current affairs will be essential for success however we welcome students who currently have zero political awareness with open arms providing that they are hungry to acquire new knowledge. The course is especially relevant for careers in law, finance and banking, the public sector, politics, journalism, broadcasting and the wider media as well as advertising but is designed to be of broad educational value.