Government and Politics

Course summary

Politics is a fascinating and fluid subject that challenges ideas about how democracy works. By studying this subject at A Level, Sixth Formers will learn how government and politics operate, in theory and practice, in both the UK and the USA. They will complete a comparative analysis between the two democratic systems, and will address such thorny issues as the impacts and implications of Brexit, the Johnson premiership, and the Biden presidency. What do our current democracies look like and can they survive in our ‘hyper-partisan’ and ‘posttruth’ political cultures? Core political ideologies such as conservatism, liberalism, and socialism are also critically examined and contrasted with another highly influential idea of our time: multiculturalism. Overall, students gain a keen sense of the types of issues that are confronting our modern times, and the sorts of characters and ideas that are gaining traction influencing the debates that are increasingly consuming us. There has never been a better time to study politics. Sixth Formers will develop research skills and engage in independent study. They are encouraged to challenge their own beliefs, and to develop further their skills of empathy and persuasive argument. They will learn how to approach short structured questions, how to study stimulus material, and how to structure analytical essays all of which will prepare them for life beyond Kent College. Unique to Kent College, Sixth Formers have 24/7/365 access to a dedicated online learning environment where they can find and exploit a huge range of resources. For example, every lesson for every part of the course is found there alongside countless videos, podcasts, articles, exam past-papers, question HOWTOs, and other downloads available at the touch of a mouse. Revision tools top off this high-class resource. Politics is a natural partner to many other A Level subjects as the skills and knowledge gained are applicable in many other areas.