Minimum Grade Requirement:
Grade 6 in English Language
Assessment:
Examination at the end of the course.
Course Overview
Should the voting age be reduced to 16? Is the Prime Minister too powerful or too weak? What is a referendum? Should our electoral system be changed? What impact does EU membership have upon our sovereignty, and what will be the effect of Brexit? These are just a few of the key questions that will be addressed in the Politics course.
Consideration is given to the importance of the concept of democracy and the electoral system more generally. In addition, there is an analysis of the major political parties in the United Kingdom. The major institutions of the British constitution are examined such as the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Cabinet. Once a working knowledge of the British system is achieved, students can compare it with other countries to judge whether constitutional change is desirable.
A more detailed look at political ideologies is a feature of the course. Over the two years students will be encouraged to relate theory to practice and to keep a close eye on current affairs.
The course consists of three teaching modules:
Module 1: The UK Politics and Core Political Ideas: In this module students explore the nature of politics and how people engage in the political process in the UK.
Module 2: UK Government and Non-core Political Ideas: Students study UK Government and one political idea from a choice of anarchism, ecologism, feminism, multiculturalism and nationalism.
Module 3: Comparative Politics: Students study Government and politics of the USA.
This course allows students to gain a greater understanding of the world around them and play a fuller part in the political process. Many transferable skills will be developed and enhanced including critical reading and source analysis, communication, problem solving and group discussion. Students will also be asked to present their ideas to the rest of the group on a regular basis. Politics is recognised as an interesting and academically rigorous choice and will be looked on favourably by employers and universities.
Newspapers and the internet, TV programmes, as well as textbooks will provide the source material for the course. As the pace of change in society increases it is important for students to understand how political parties and government institutions lead and respond to change. Educational visits often form an interesting aspect of the course and, in the past, students have visited parliament, attended Radio 5-Live debates, contributed to BBC Question Time and engaged in several other trips and meetings to enhance their knowledge.
Future Opportunities
Government and Politics can be studied at university in its own right and it is also a useful stepping stone to subjects like International Relations, Philosophy or Law. Students who want to go into business, public service, journalism, the media, the law or the armed forces would benefit from this course. In recent years a substantial number of Year 13 students have left OSH to study politics at university.
Complementary Subjects
English, Geography, History, and Religious Education, Philosophies and Ethics.