Politics

Politics

At Ferndown Upper School, we understand that the need for informed, engaged, and positive participation is critical for safeguarding democracy, and are proud to offer A Level Politics as an option for our Sixth Form students.

As our students begin to take their steps into the world around them, they are bestowed the valuable right to vote. Political education and understanding, enables our students to make informed decisions about the society that they are a part of, enabling their voice to be heard and playing an important role within the composition of our country.

In a world of increasing complexity and apparent risk, a qualification in Politics is vital in navigating the 21st century world.

Within this A Level, students explored three components within Edexcel A Level Politics.

Component One: UK Politics and Core Political Ideas

This section explores the nature of politics and how people engage in the political process of the UK.

The focus is placed on how people and politics interact, exploring UK Democracy and the scope of political parties.

This section focuses on four key areas of content:

  1. Democracy and Participation
  2. Political Parties
  3. Electoral Systems
  4. Voting behaviour and the media

Students are also introduced to Core Political Ideas, applying these to human nature, the state, society and the economy. Within this component we look at three political ideas:

  1. Liberalism
  2. Conservatism
  3. Socialism

Component Two: UK Government and Non-Core Political Ideas

This component focuses on the government and the roles and powers determined by the constitution. Students are able to understand the nature of the UK government and how political decisions are made. Students will explore the different branches of the government – legislative, executive and judiciary – as well as the relationships and balance of powers between them.

The four main areas students study within this component are:

  1. The constitution
  2. Parliament
  3. Prime Minister and executive
  4. Relations between the branches

In addition to this, students are introduced to non-core political ideas, of which they will study one, applying this to human nature, the state, society and the economy.

The five non-core political ideas are:

  1. Anarchism
  2. Ecologism
  3. Feminism
  4. Multiculturalism
  5. Nationalism

Component Three: Comparative Politics

In this component, students study politics outside of the UK. At Ferndown Upper School, we study Global Politics, the nature of the international system, the complexity of cooperation, the risks of conflict, and the opportunities presented in solving issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss, human rights, and global poverty and inequality.

Given the almost undergraduate level of education that this provides, it really is an exceptional qualification. Global Politics is often one of the most enjoyable parts of the pupils’ sixth form experience!

Within this component, there are six areas of study that students will undertake:

  1. Comparative Theory
  2. The state and globalisation
  3. Political and Economic Governance
  4. Human rights and Environment Governance
  5. Power and Developments
  6. Regionalism and the EU

Assessments for the course This A Level is a fully examined course. Students undertake 3 written 2 hour exams at the end of their A Level course on each component.

Extra Curricular Opportunities

The Politics department are excited to offer a variety of trips and opportunities to engage with politics around us as part of the course. We are aiming to offer trips to the Houses of Parliament, meetings with local MPs to ask questions and the potential for visits further afield to experience the power of Global Politics first hand.