Politics

"In our age there is no such thing as ‘keeping out of politics’. All issues are political issues.” 
George Orwell

Politics at Kings Langley School

Politics is offered as an A Level to 6th form students at Kings Langley School.

Our aim is to engage our students in meaningful and informed debate about the political conflicts that affect their daily lives. In the age of social media, our students need to be able to identify the difference between fact and fiction, question unsubstantiated opinion and think critically about the way in which political information is presented to them.

We challenge our pupils to evaluate the nature of representative democracy and the actions of those in power, both past and present. As an academically rigorous subject, we aim to provide students with the secure knowledge and analytical skills necessary to truly understand and participate in political discourse. We ensure that our students are able to construct considered and informed judgements independently. In turn, we empower our students to continue their passion for political debate well beyond their school careers, able to confidently question political decisions, challenge injustice and embrace the healthy debate that strengthens our society.

For more information, please visit our website.

 

Staff:

Ms Hardingham (Year 12)
Mr McGuigan (Year 13)

 

Curriculum Intent Objectives:

  • To enable students to identify as active participants in political discourse.

  • To embed secure knowledge of the nature of representative democracy, conflicting political ideologies, and systems of government.

  • To ensure that students are able to construct considered and substantiated judgements independently, both verbally and in writing.

  • To empower students to question the way in which political information is presented to them across a range of media, and challenge unsubstantiated argument in public discourse.

  • To inspire a life-long interest in current affairs and passion for political debate.

 

Implementation:

  • Specification content is delivered using specific teaching strategies to ensure that political knowledge, concepts, and terminology are deeply embedded in students’ long-term memories, which will inform their evaluations.

  • Students are assessed in a variety of ways, both formally and informally. Regular class-based knowledge tests ensure that knowledge is embedded, whilst frequent essay-based assessment enables students to structure, explain and substantiate their judgements in writing.

  • Students are provided with a wide range of differentiated resources in a variety of formats, both in lessons and electronically, to aid their independent learning, wider reading and revision.

  • Students are actively encouraged to engage in political discourse and current affairs, ensuring that their knowledge is up-to-date, a requirement for the highest grades at A Level.

  • Teachers create a safe classroom environment in which to conduct informed and meaningful debate amongst students.

 

Impact:

  • Students will demonstrate knowledge and a complex understanding of political participation in democracy, political ideologies, and systems of government, both past and present.

  • Students will be able to communicate their knowledge and evaluations using a high standard of literacy and subject-specific terminology.

  • Students will be able to structure, substantiate and explain their judgements in writing, coherently and concisely.

  • Students will continue to comprehend, challenge and question political discourse as young adults.

 

KS5 Summary

Specification: Pearson Edexcel A Level

Students will sit three externally-assessed exam units:

UK Politics (Studied in Year 12)

Section A: Political Participation

  • Democracy and participation
  • Political parties
  • Electoral systems
  • Voting behaviour and the role of the media.

Section B: Core Political Ideas

  • Conservatism
  • Liberalism
  • Socialism

UK Government (Studied in Year 12)

Section A: UK Government

  • The Constitution

  • Parliament

  • The Prime Minister and Executive

  • The relationships between the government branches

Section B: Non-Core Political Ideas

  • Multiculturalism

And one of the following by majority vote:

  • Anarchism

  • Ecologism

  • Feminism

  • Nationalism

Comparative Politics: USA Politics (Studied in Year 13)

  • The US Constitution and Federalism

  • US Congress

  • US Presidency

  • US Supreme Court and US civil rights

  • US Democracy and Participation

  • Comparative theories

A level Assessment Objectives:

AO1 - Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of political institutions, processes, concepts, theories and issues. [35%]

AO2 - Analyse aspects of politics and political information, including in relation to parallels, connections, similarities and differences. [35%]

AO3 - Evaluate aspects of politics and political information, including to construct arguments, make substantiated judgements and draw conclusions. [30%]