Government and Politics

Assessment

Component 1: UK Politics and Core Political Ideas Weighting: 33% Marks: 84 Length of paper: 2 Hours Unit 1: UK politics and government, providing them with a core set of knowledge and understanding about politics. Assessments will develop students’ skills in critical thinking and analysis, using a variety of question types, sources and materials. We look firstly at how people are involved in politics and democracy, political parties, electoral systems, voting behaviour and the media, and three core political ideas. Component 2: UK Government and Non-Core Political Ideologies Weighting: 33% Marks: 84 Length of paper: 2 Hours Unit 2: We study constitution, parliament, prime minister and cabinet, t he relationship between the branches, and one optional ideology, nationalism. Assessments will focus on the ability of students to analyse source information and to evaluate and balance arguments. They will need to be able to use contemporary political issues in their essays. Component 3: Comparative Politics - US Weighting: 33 % Marks: 84 Length of paper: 2 Hours Unit 3: The government and politics of the USA. Students will explore the US Constitution and the arguments surrounding this guiding document of US democracy. In learning about the key institutions of government in the USA and analysing the manner in which they achieve this power and exercise it over their citizens, students will judge ultimately whether ‘liberty and justice for all’ has been achieved in the USA. Students will be expected to highlight the debates on the nature of democracy in the USA and evaluate the extent to which it remains an issue. Some comparison between UK and US institutions will also be undertaken.