Politics
Welcome to Politics in the Sixth Form at CHS
Studying politics is the study of power and authority – who has power, how did they get it, and how do they exercise that power? At the same time, who doesn’t have power, and what means are available to influence those with power, or to even take power themselves?
Here at CHS we study UK and US government and politics and Political Ideas with AQA.
Politics - Sixth Form Options 2021_1080p.mp4LD_-_Politics_Students_-_Sixth_Form_Open_Day__1080p.mp4A good place to start is by watching this video above to hear about the course from our Head of Department, Mrs Pinder and the Politics teachers.
You can also watch the above film to hear from students about what your CHS Politics experience would look like.
Lower Sixth
In the Lower Sixth we start with a focus on the government and politics of the UK.
Studying UK government, you will learn about the how our political system is organised. Beginning with its underpinning in our constitution, we examine how our parliament and Supreme Court operate, and consider the nature and extent of the powers allocated to the prime minster.
In UK politics we look at the day to day running of the country, from the role of political parties and what they stand for, to how our electoral system works and the arguments for its reform. We study the role of pressure groups and take a broad look at the nature of democracy within our political system.
Towards the end of the year we will begin to look at the US system of government and politics and consider the same ideas outlined above from the American perspective.
Upper Sixth
In the Upper Sixth we continue our study of the government and politics of the US, with a key difference being that we are now making direct comparisons with the UK system.
Big questions such as which has more power, the UK prime minister or the US president, how effectively are the rights of citizens protected in each country, and how politicised have the Supreme Courts of each nation become dominate our study.
The final element of the A Level Politics course involves consideration of political ideologies. We study four ideologies in all - liberalism, conservatism, socialism, and anarchism. Here we strip away the day to day nuts and bolts of running the country and instead focus on the ideas that underpin political perspectives from all sides of the spectrum. We examine ideas around basic human nature and what the role of the state should be, how society should develop and how economies are best run.
Co-curricular opportunities
Think Tank - Cheadle Hulme School's Politics Society
Think Tank is our lively and popular student-led Politics Society.
Guest speakers are invited to engage and inspire students and to extend their knowledge of politics and current affairs.
It is well attended by Sixth Form politics students, as well as students with a broader interest in the subject.
In combination with the History Department, we run a biennial trip to Washington DC, taking sites such as:
Washington Monument & Lincoln Memorial
A tour of US Congress
Korean War, Vietnam War and World War II Memorials
Martin Luther King memorial
A tour of the Pentagon
US Holocaust Memorial Museum
We have also run more local trips, including in recent years:
This Is Not Normal: A political stand up comedy hosted by Matt Chorley at City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds
A political walking tour of Manchester, being guided through Manchester learning about topics such as suffrage, the free trade movement and the impact of Marx and Engels
An outing to see Matt Forde, one of the UK’s leading political comedians bringing his stand up show Brexit Through Giftshop to the Salford Lowry
Why study politics..?
"In politics, nothing happens by accident.
If it happens, you can
bet it was planned that way."
If it happens, you can
bet it was planned that way."
Franklyn Delano Roosevelt
"Politics
is not
a game,
it is an
earnest
business!"
is not
a game,
it is an
earnest
business!"
Winston Churchill
"Charity is a cold grey loveless thing. If a rich man wants to help the poor, he should pay his taxes gladly, not dole out money at a whim."
Clement Attlee
"Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean it won't take an interest in you."
Pericles
Frequently asked questions
FAQ: Are there any GCSE subject requirements?
There are no specific subject requirements for A Level Politics. Politics A Level involves rigorous academic analysis of the type you will find in similar subjects like History, English, or Economics. Effectively, it is the study of power and authority – who has power, how did they get that power, how do they exercise that power? At the same time, who doesn’t have power, what means are available to influence those with power, or even take power themselves? This is a subject that will involve a good amount of reading and is of course assessed through writing shorter and longer essay answers. However, the key necessity for the study of politics is to be interested in the world around you and to have a desire to understand why things are the way they are.
FAQ: I don't know anything about Politics, does that matter?
No! It doesn't matter if you begin the course without knowing your parliament from your government, or your party from your pressure group - that is what you are here to learn! What will definitely help, however, is being interested and engaged with the news and what is going on in the world.
Politics encompasses everything – from the big issues (impending environmental catastrophe, terrorism, war, worst economic crisis since... the last worst economic crisis, not to mention global pandemics...) to the important but everyday stuff (how much tax should people pay, should students have to pay for uni, whose job is it to look after the old and infirm), to the everyday issues (where are my clothes produced? What sort of rights do workers in that country have? How are they paid? Do I shop in Tesco or the Co-operative?) Many decisions you make – especially as you begin to look more closely at the world around you – have political connotations.
All you need to study this subject is a desire to better get to know the world in which you live and a willingness to engage with the news as it unfolds.
FAQ: What other subjects should I take alongside Politics?
It doesn't matter! We have a dynamic and fast changing world and what we study in politics has to move quickly to keep up. All you need to study this subject is to be interested!
FAQ: I'm worried about the amount of essay writing - should I be?
There's no getting away from the fact that this is a subject that is assessed through extended writing. That said, the exam consists of shorter questions as well as longer essays, and we spend a good amount of time discussing technique, identifying best practice, and working with our students to ensure the best outcomes. The most important thing for a student of Politics is to be interested in the subject matter! Don't let fear of the essay put you off!
The Politics Team.
Peter Thorn| Head of Politics (peterthorn@chschool.co.uk)
Penny Allison | CHS Assistant Head, (Upper School)
Nick Axon | CHS Deputy Head (Academic)
Michael Jones | CHS Assistant Head (Sixth Form)
Please contact our Head of Department if you have any further questions .