Curriculum activities and trips

The School follows the Edexcel examination board syllabus.

There are three components to the A level course over the two years. The first is UK Politics, for which students will study political participation and core political ideas. Topics such as democracy, political parties, electoral systems, voting behaviour and the media will be covered, as well as the ideas of liberalism, conservatism and socialism. The second component is UK Government which will include the constitution, parliament, the prime minister and the executive as well as further political ideas. The third component is comparative politics in which students will learn about global and international issues.

By the end of the course, students have a comprehensive outline of how the political system works and prospects for reform. Important skills such as critical thought, evaluation and analysis will also be developed.

Students of Politics go on trips and conferences, including a visit to Parliament. Relevant speakers also visit and there are numerous other enrichment opportunities. Many students find work experience with a MP or political body. It is a subject that lends itself very well to a wide range of careers. Politically related environments include the civil service, local government, international organisations, political parties, pressure groups and think tanks. In addition, studying the subject allows students to acquire a range of key skills and attributes that can be used in other areas such as Law, journalism, public relations, accountancy, management and marketing.