THE ECCLESBOURNE SCHOOL

A Level

Exam Board: Edexcel

Contact: Mr J. Cuthbert

Politics is the study of people and power structures. It is the study of how Britain works and how the wider world can be understood through different models. To study Government and Politics is to analyse the levers of power and to understand what is required to manipulate them, to tap into the structures and ideas that shape our very waking moment whether we accept them or not. To study Government and Politics is to prepare to be the leaders and opinion-makers of tomorrow and to harness the ability to change lives and communities to your own leadership and control your destiny just a little bit more.

Ecclesbourne will follow the Edexcel Government and Politics course comprising three components. Component 1 focuses on UK Politics and Core Political Ideas, Component 2 on the UK Government and other Political Ideologies and Component 3 offers a chance to compare UK systems with those of the US. Component 1, therefore, is about the ideas and concepts, the building blocks of political life in Britain along with the main ideological strands that inform political thought across the globe. Component 2 is about the day-to-day running of the country, the systems and structures through which power is expressed as well as some of the other currents of ideology and worldview that colour our experiences. Finally, Component 3 offers a chance to study the same features of the US political system that gave us Trump and Obama and still dominates the world.

There is no coursework component.

Students of Government and Politics must learn to understand, analyse and evaluate power and relationships in society. With these transferable skills, Government and Politics can be paired with a wide range of subjects at A Level and beyond. Many students choose to link with History, Sociology, Religious Studies, Geography, Psychology, Languages, Economics, Computer Science and the course also works well in providing breadth and balance for students following a Maths and Science route.

Entry Requirements:

5 GCSES 4-9 or A*-C to include Maths and English Lang or Lit Grade 5

Where can Government and Politics take me?

An A Level in the subject would enable you to progress to a degree in Single Honours Politics, or another of the countless courses which combine Politics with other subjects. It is also highly respected by Universities for any academic pursuit. Many journalists hail from a background of Government and Politics, as do many politicians, civil servants and government workers. You could just as easily be an MP as a worker in GCHQ, a party official or an MP's researcher. You could be a private secretary or an activist. Truly, the only limit is your command of the levers of power!