Government & Politics
Government and Politics is a subject which students can opt to study in Post 16. It is a popular course which appeals to a wide variety of students and complements a range of other subjects.
Studying Government and Politics will allow students to develop a wide range of skills including the ability to analyse and evaluate political knowledge and communicate arguments clearly using appropriate political vocabulary. AS Level focuses on the UK political system and A2 Level centres around the political system of the USA.
Department Staff
| Name | Position |
| Miss R Wilkinson | Teacher of History / Head of Post 16 |
| Mr A Jordan | Teacher of Politics / Deputy Principal |
The Syllabus
We follow the AQA syllabus.
GOVP1: People, Politics and Participation
This unit focuses on political behaviour in the UK. You will study the main institutions through which people participate. Additionally, you will examine voting behaviour and the influence of electoral systems in communicating public opinion.
GOVP2: Governing Modern Britain
This unit focuses on how Britain is governed. You will study Britain’s unique constitution, the relationship between the government and parliament, and the extent to which power rests in the hands of unelected bureaucrats.
GOV3A: The Politics of the USA
This unit focuses on voting behaviour, the electoral process, political parties and pressure groups in the USA. You will be expected to draw comparisons between this and work done at AS on the UK.
GOV4A: The Government of the USA
This unit focuses on the constitution, Congress, the executive branch of government and the judiciary. Again, in this unit you will be expected to draw parallels between examples from the USA and from work done in AS on the UK.
Further details on the course can be found on www.aqa.org.uk.
Assessment
Year 12 - AS
Unit 1: People, Politics and Participation: 1.5 hour written examination
Unit 2: Governing Modern Britain: 1.5 hour written examination
Year 13 – A2
Unit 3a: The Politics of the USA: 1.5 hour written examination
Unit 4a: The Government of the USA: 1.5 hour written examination
