A level
Our 6th Form Open Evening took place on 9 November 2022.
In previous years, when we ran our Open Evening as a virtual event, we produced video guides to each subject. These remain relevant and are available as a collected playlist on our YouTube Channel.
The introductory video to life in the 6th Form at Borlase, and a virtual tour of the school are also available to watch.
A level Specification and Curriculum Overview
Curriculum Overview:
Course entry requirements
GCSE Level 7 in an essay-based subject or by approval of the Head of Department.
Core textbook for Year 12:
Pearson Edexcel A Level Politics:UK Government and Politics, Political Ideas, US Government and Politics 2nd Edition ISBN: 9781398369160 (paperback)
or Boost eBook ISBN:9781398368774
Introduction
There can be no more appropriate or fascinating time at which to study Government and Politics than during the years in which one becomes entitled to participate fully in the political process. The subject sits at an intriguing intersection between live news events and theory: it is fast-paced, compelling and important.
Course
Throughout the two years of the course students are expected to make links between the political theory that they learn about in the classroom and the political events that are playing out on the UK and American stage. The course is split into three components: the first looks at political culture and engagement, the second at how the UK is governed including a study of political philosophy and ideas and the third examines UK governance comparatively with the USA.
In Year 12 students study the nature of politics and how people and politics interact. They will explore the emergence and development of the UK’s democratic system and the similarities, differences connections and parallels between direct and indirect democracy. They will focus on the role and scope of political parties that are so central to UK contemporary politics, including the significance of the manifestos they publish at election time and their relevance to the mandate of the resulting government. In addition, students will learn about the set of rules governing politics in the UK, and the specific roles and powers of the main branches of the government: legislature, executive and judiciary and the relationship and balance of power between them while considering where sovereignty now lies within this system.
Summer Term Year 12/Autumn Term Year 13 students will learn about political ideas, starting with the core principles of conservatism, liberalism and socialism and how they apply in practice to human nature, the state, society and the economy. Students will investigate the divisions within each idea and their key thinkers and will have the opportunity to explore a further political idea such as anarchism. Much of second year of study will be devoted to the comparative component of the course: an examination of the UK and US systems of government. In learning about the key institutions of government of the USA and analysing the manner in which they achieve this power and exercise it over their citizens, students judge ultimately whether ‘liberty and justice for all’ has been achieved in the USA. Students will begin to engage in comparing and contrasting UK and US institutions of government, consequently developing a wider understanding of politics as a discipline, underpinned by the theoretical concepts of comparative politics.
The study of Politics
Success at A level in Government and Politics demands a balance between two skills. Firstly, students must work hard to gain an understanding of the theories and rules that regulate British and American politics. Alongside this, it is vital that students keep abreast of developments in the current political climate. Lessons, therefore, tend to be largely based around discussion and debate.
The study of Government and Politics hones one’s ability to think and write analytically. The subject is a good companion to History, Economics and Modern Foreign Languages.
University and Careers
Since the 2016 EU Referendum, there has been a surge of interest nationally in the study of Politics. As an established and thriving A level subject, Borlase reflects this trend. A significant number of our students choose to extend their interest in Politics and International Relations at university. University tutors and employers consistently state that they look for students who are able to critically engage with the world around them; such skills equip graduates for careers encompassing the diplomatic and intelligence services, political and social research and analysis, journalism and global business development.
Helpful Resources
The Politics Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained
DK Publishing
ISBN 9780241209363, 0241209366
This easy-to-understand guide to politics and government introduces more than 80 of the most important theories and big ideas of leaders and politicians throughout history.
The Politics Book makes government and politics easy to understand by explaining the big ideas simply, using clear language supported by eye-catching graphics. The key events in political history are outlined from the origins of political thinking by Confucius and Aristotle to modern-day activists such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. Helpful mind maps break down their important concepts into bitesize chunks to make the subject accessible to students of politics and anyone with an interest in how government works. A handy reference section also provides a glossary of key terms and a directory of significant political figures.
Filled with thought-provoking quotes from great political thinkers such as Nietzsche, Malcolm X, Karl Marx, and Mao Zedong, The Politics Book gives context to the world of government and power.
www.bloomsbury.com › how-to-think-politically-9781...
About How to Think Politically Nothing less than how we should live, as individuals and as communities. This book goes beyond the surface headlines, the fake news and the hysteria to explore the timeless questions posed and answers offered by a diverse group of the 30 greatest political thinkers who have ever lived.
Magazines/periodicals:
Politics Review
The Economist
The Week
Prospect
The Spectator
Podcasts:
The Economist
The A Level Politics Show on Anchor FM
Guardian ‘politics weekly’
Talking Politics-David Runciman, Cambridge University
The A Level Politics Show
The Rest is Politics
BBC Americast
The News Agents
BBC News Cast
RealClearPolitics (US)
The Hill (US)
Documentaries:
The Politics Show
Newsnight
Politics Live
BBC Parliament
Examples of Work
