Politics is a highly regarded A Level which can lead to many degree courses including Politics, War and Peace Studies, International Relations, History, Economics and Law. It will not necessarily lead to a career in politics but could provide a good foundation for students who wish to pursue careers in journalism, Civil Service, Development or Law, for example. Topics Political parties Are Margaret Thatcher’s policies and ideals still alive and kicking harder than ever in the Conservative Party? Will Labour’s swing to the left spell the break up of the party? Will the Liberal Democrats ever recover after their part in a Conservative coalition government that saw tuition fees hiked, NHS privatisation pushed further and public services slashed? How much sway does Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party have over British politics? Is the Green Party a viable ‘opposition’? And will the Brexit Party fizzle out if they manage to get the UK out of the EU? You will explore how the UK’s political parties’ core beliefs are shaped and changed, and what differentiates them from each other. Pressure groups The Trade Union Congress, Confederation of British Industry, British Medical Association, National Farmers’ Union, Amnesty International and Greenpeace are just a few ‘groups’ that exert pressure on political decision-makers to create or change government policy in favour of their agenda. You can do the same simply by writing to your MP asking him or her to bring up your concerns in Parliament. You will find out whom pressure groups represent, what tactics and methods they use to get across their viewpoints and how much influence they wield over policy direction and change. You will also discuss to what extent their political leaning is permissible and justified in a democracy. Representation and Democracy 33.6 million people voted in the UK’s EU referendum making a record turnout of more than 72%. This is an example of direct democracy where all those eligible get to cast their vote on a single issue. On most other issues an elected group (MPs) debate and vote on policies to be adopted, amended or scrapped on behalf of the rest of the population. This is a representative democracy. Most ‘Western-style democracies are derived from this general concept of democracy. With such huge numbers voting in the referendum, an upsurge in Labour Party membership following the referendum and under-25s rushing to register to vote in the general election you may think political apathy is dead. So do people still need to be encouraged, or compelled, to play more of an active role in shaping the political parties and decisions that govern their lives? You will explore different types of democracy and discuss what constitutes a liberal democracy and to what extent it differs from representative democracy, as well as how the public engages with and participates in the political process. Electoral Systems A variety of electoral or voting systems are used in the UK to elect mayors and representatives to the House of Commons, the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the European Parliament (for the time being) and local authorities. The system used to elect MPs to the House of Commons is called ‘first-past-the-post’. The candidate who wins the most votes in their constituency (of which there are currently 650 across the UK) gets a seat in Parliament. Then the Party with the most seats in Parliament becomes the Government of the day, regardless of whether they have a majority or not. This system is also used in local elections. Most MPs are endorsed by less than a third of their constituency; some far less than that. The House of Lords remains unelected. Yet in 2011, the British public rejected (via referendum) the chance to move to the Alternative Vote system and successive attempts to reform the House of Lords have faltered. In this unit, you will explore the major electoral systems used in the UK, how they work, the pros and cons of each system and why proposed reforms to change voting systems have failed. Governing the UK Have you ever met your MP? Do you even know who your MP is? Did they go to your school? Do they work in your local community? Do they understand and appreciate your needs? Some MPs have been accused of being out of touch with the general public having come from elite backgrounds and are deemed incapable of representing the people they stand for. Would a different voting system generate a more representative body of MPs? Perhaps Parliament is losing its power anyway thanks to huge ‘constitutional’ changes like devolution. Or will Parliament ‘resume’ power now Britain is ‘taking back control’ and leaving the EU? Will the government’s ‘great repeal bill’ – granting temporary powers enabling ministers to ‘tweak’ laws – blur the lines of power between the executive, legislative and judiciary as Britain unpicks 43 years of EU treaties and agreements? In this unit, you will explore the role and function of Parliament, discuss whether MPs fairly and effectively represent their constituents and how far they should or do follow the party line. You will examine the influence of lobby groups on legislation and discuss whether, or how, Parliament should be reformed. The Executive The Prime Minister is elected by the party not directly by the voters and can choose who to appoint to the Cabinet, be they loyal supporters or rivals. Decisions made by the Cabinet, as chaired by the Prime Minister, must then be supported by all Cabinet members whether they agree or not. This puts the Prime Minister in a powerful position if they are shrewd enough to use it. If any member dissents they must resign, as in the case of Labour Cabinet Members Clare Short and the late Robin Cook over Britain’s involvement in the Iraq War. The Prime Minister also has the power to appoint junior ministers, senior civil servants, peers, bishops and judges. The Prime Minister, Cabinet Members and other core appointees make up the executive that has the authority and responsibility to govern. In this unit, you will investigate how prime ministers wield their power, whether they have too much and what may limit their powers. You will assess the effectiveness of the Cabinet as a collective decision-making body and identify how decisions may be made beyond their reach. You will also touch on the impact of party coalition on policy formulation. Judiciary and Civil Liberties: What is the role of the Judiciary in the UK system of governance? How far is it independent and neutral? Why has the Human Rights Act increasingly brought the government and senior judges into conflict? To what extent does the judiciary guarantee and protect civil liberties? The UK Constitution Why (almost uniquely) is the Constitution not codified into a single source document? Where do constitutional checks and balances come from? How far is the UK constitution flexible and what dangers might this pose to rights and freedoms? Global Politics Structures of Global Politics: Students will begin by exploring some of the key concepts in International Politics; they will learn to understand what is meant by terminology such as sovereignty and will begin to investigate how the process of globalisation is affecting the individuality and independence of nations. They will then go on to look at the relationships that nations have with one another and how those relationships have changed since 1989. Finally, they will examine the role and significance of international organisations such as the UN, NATO and the EU and the institutions of global economic governance including the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO. Issues in Global Politics: This unit deals with key issues in recent global politics. Particular emphasis is placed on developments since 9/11. Students will explore the concept of warfare in the early twenty-first century and the concept of ‘new’ wars. They will explore nuclear proliferation and terrorism. Students will discuss the effectiveness of the growing body of international law, and explore human rights and the principle of humanitarian intervention. We will also study global poverty and development and explore global environmental politics.
Students who continue to Year 12 at Ashbourne are expected to be able to gain a minimum of 6 grades 6s (or equivalent) for their GCSE results and must have a determination to work towards their academic potential.
About Education Provider
| Region | London |
| Local Authority | Kensington and Chelsea |
| Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| Gender Type | Co-Educational |
| ISI Report | View Report |
| Boarding Fee | Unknown |
| Sixth Form Fee | £32,250 - £34,500 |
| Address | 17 Old Court Place, Kensington, London, W8 4PL |
Politics is a highly regarded A Level which can lead to many degree courses including Politics, War and Peace Studies, International Relations, History, Economics and Law. It will not necessarily lead to a career in politics but could provide a good foundation for students who wish to pursue careers in journalism, Civil Service, Development or Law, for example. Topics Political parties Are Margaret Thatcher’s policies and ideals still alive and kicking harder than ever in the Conservative Party? Will Labour’s swing to the left spell the break up of the party? Will the Liberal Democrats ever recover after their part in a Conservative coalition government that saw tuition fees hiked, NHS privatisation pushed further and public services slashed? How much sway does Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party have over British politics? Is the Green Party a viable ‘opposition’? And will the Brexit Party fizzle out if they manage to get the UK out of the EU? You will explore how the UK’s political parties’ core beliefs are shaped and changed, and what differentiates them from each other. Pressure groups The Trade Union Congress, Confederation of British Industry, British Medical Association, National Farmers’ Union, Amnesty International and Greenpeace are just a few ‘groups’ that exert pressure on political decision-makers to create or change government policy in favour of their agenda. You can do the same simply by writing to your MP asking him or her to bring up your concerns in Parliament. You will find out whom pressure groups represent, what tactics and methods they use to get across their viewpoints and how much influence they wield over policy direction and change. You will also discuss to what extent their political leaning is permissible and justified in a democracy. Representation and Democracy 33.6 million people voted in the UK’s EU referendum making a record turnout of more than 72%. This is an example of direct democracy where all those eligible get to cast their vote on a single issue. On most other issues an elected group (MPs) debate and vote on policies to be adopted, amended or scrapped on behalf of the rest of the population. This is a representative democracy. Most ‘Western-style democracies are derived from this general concept of democracy. With such huge numbers voting in the referendum, an upsurge in Labour Party membership following the referendum and under-25s rushing to register to vote in the general election you may think political apathy is dead. So do people still need to be encouraged, or compelled, to play more of an active role in shaping the political parties and decisions that govern their lives? You will explore different types of democracy and discuss what constitutes a liberal democracy and to what extent it differs from representative democracy, as well as how the public engages with and participates in the political process. Electoral Systems A variety of electoral or voting systems are used in the UK to elect mayors and representatives to the House of Commons, the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the European Parliament (for the time being) and local authorities. The system used to elect MPs to the House of Commons is called ‘first-past-the-post’. The candidate who wins the most votes in their constituency (of which there are currently 650 across the UK) gets a seat in Parliament. Then the Party with the most seats in Parliament becomes the Government of the day, regardless of whether they have a majority or not. This system is also used in local elections. Most MPs are endorsed by less than a third of their constituency; some far less than that. The House of Lords remains unelected. Yet in 2011, the British public rejected (via referendum) the chance to move to the Alternative Vote system and successive attempts to reform the House of Lords have faltered. In this unit, you will explore the major electoral systems used in the UK, how they work, the pros and cons of each system and why proposed reforms to change voting systems have failed. Governing the UK Have you ever met your MP? Do you even know who your MP is? Did they go to your school? Do they work in your local community? Do they understand and appreciate your needs? Some MPs have been accused of being out of touch with the general public having come from elite backgrounds and are deemed incapable of representing the people they stand for. Would a different voting system generate a more representative body of MPs? Perhaps Parliament is losing its power anyway thanks to huge ‘constitutional’ changes like devolution. Or will Parliament ‘resume’ power now Britain is ‘taking back control’ and leaving the EU? Will the government’s ‘great repeal bill’ – granting temporary powers enabling ministers to ‘tweak’ laws – blur the lines of power between the executive, legislative and judiciary as Britain unpicks 43 years of EU treaties and agreements? In this unit, you will explore the role and function of Parliament, discuss whether MPs fairly and effectively represent their constituents and how far they should or do follow the party line. You will examine the influence of lobby groups on legislation and discuss whether, or how, Parliament should be reformed. The Executive The Prime Minister is elected by the party not directly by the voters and can choose who to appoint to the Cabinet, be they loyal supporters or rivals. Decisions made by the Cabinet, as chaired by the Prime Minister, must then be supported by all Cabinet members whether they agree or not. This puts the Prime Minister in a powerful position if they are shrewd enough to use it. If any member dissents they must resign, as in the case of Labour Cabinet Members Clare Short and the late Robin Cook over Britain’s involvement in the Iraq War. The Prime Minister also has the power to appoint junior ministers, senior civil servants, peers, bishops and judges. The Prime Minister, Cabinet Members and other core appointees make up the executive that has the authority and responsibility to govern. In this unit, you will investigate how prime ministers wield their power, whether they have too much and what may limit their powers. You will assess the effectiveness of the Cabinet as a collective decision-making body and identify how decisions may be made beyond their reach. You will also touch on the impact of party coalition on policy formulation. Judiciary and Civil Liberties: What is the role of the Judiciary in the UK system of governance? How far is it independent and neutral? Why has the Human Rights Act increasingly brought the government and senior judges into conflict? To what extent does the judiciary guarantee and protect civil liberties? The UK Constitution Why (almost uniquely) is the Constitution not codified into a single source document? Where do constitutional checks and balances come from? How far is the UK constitution flexible and what dangers might this pose to rights and freedoms? Global Politics Structures of Global Politics: Students will begin by exploring some of the key concepts in International Politics; they will learn to understand what is meant by terminology such as sovereignty and will begin to investigate how the process of globalisation is affecting the individuality and independence of nations. They will then go on to look at the relationships that nations have with one another and how those relationships have changed since 1989. Finally, they will examine the role and significance of international organisations such as the UN, NATO and the EU and the institutions of global economic governance including the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO. Issues in Global Politics: This unit deals with key issues in recent global politics. Particular emphasis is placed on developments since 9/11. Students will explore the concept of warfare in the early twenty-first century and the concept of ‘new’ wars. They will explore nuclear proliferation and terrorism. Students will discuss the effectiveness of the growing body of international law, and explore human rights and the principle of humanitarian intervention. We will also study global poverty and development and explore global environmental politics.
Students who continue to Year 12 at Ashbourne are expected to be able to gain a minimum of 6 grades 6s (or equivalent) for their GCSE results and must have a determination to work towards their academic potential.
