Government and Politics

Course summary

This A-level subject, new to Ipswich School, will appeal to students with an interest in current affairs and how the British political system works. The course takes two years to complete and consists of three central elements. Component 1 is entitled UK Politics. Democracy and participation, political parties, electoral systems, together with voting behaviour and the media are the topics explored here. Alongside these areas, the core ideas of conservatism, liberalism and socialism are studied. Component 2 entitled UK Government, consists of further key features of the British system, namely the constitution, parliament, the Prime Minister and executive, together with relationships between the branches of government. One non-core political idea is also tackled, most likely either feminism or nationalism. Component 3 is comparative politics and the USA in particular. Students study the US constitution and federalism, the US Congress, the US Presidency, the Supreme Court and civil rights, democracy and participation, together with comparative theories, allowing us to revise the earlier British components.