Student Name: ______________________________________________________

Tutor Group: _____________________

Class: _____________________

Teacher: ______________________________________________________

A LEVELGovernment & Politics

EXAM BOARD: Edexcel

Welcome Page

Students of Edexcel A level Government and Politics will develop a critical awareness of the nature of politics and the relationship between political ideas, institutions and processes. They will gain an understanding of the structures of authority and power within the UK's political system and how these may differ from those of other political systems.

At AS Level, students will study UK politics and government, which will give them a set of core knowledge and understanding of politics. Students will then develop this knowledge and understanding at A Level, and study three core political ideas and another from a choice of five. They then have the choice to study either the government and politics of the USA or global politics.

The course includes a broad range of relevant and contemporary ideas, institutions, processes and issues to support learning about politics. Assessments will develop students’ skills in critical thinking and analysis, using a variety of question types, sources and materials.

Exams

Department overview:

Mr De Aguiar Y12Mr Lee Y13

Assessments Homework

Week 1 Unit 1: Democracy and participation

Current systems of representative democracy

and direct democracy.

Compare and contrast representative and direct

democracy.

Government and Politics

Government and Politics Unit 1: People and Politics 6GP01 01 24-May-

18PM 1h 20m

Government and Politics

Government and Politics Unit 2: Governing The UK 6GP02 01 4-Jun-

18PM 1h 20m

Government and Politics

Government and Politics Unit 3: Key Themes In Political Analysis

6GP03 3A-3D

11-Jun-18

PM 1h 30m

Government and Politics

Government and Politics Unit 4: Extended Themes In Political Analysis

6GP04 4A-4D

14-Jun-18

PM 1h 30m

Week 2

The similarities and differences between direct

democracy and representative democracy.

Week 3Advantages and

disadvantages of direct democracy and

representative democracy and consideration of the case

for reform.

Pre-chewed Politics Q+A gridPrepare for assessment.

Week 4

A wider franchise and debates over suffrage.

Assessment 1:Make a case for both

Representative and Direct Democracy in UK politics.

Week 5

2) The functions and features of political parties in the UK’s representative democracy.

How are parties currently funded? Essay.

Assessments Homeworks

Week 6

The origins and historical development of the

Conservative Party, the Labour Party and Liberal

Democrat Party, and how this has shaped their ideas and

current policies on the

Design a poster showing key features of a Party of your

choice.

economy, law and order, welfare and foreign policy.

Week 7

Emerging and minor UK political parties. The

importance of other parties in the UK. The ideas and policies

of two other minor parties.

Assessment 2:

To what extent is there a Democratic Deficit in the UK?

(30)

Week 8

The development of a multi-party system and its

implications for government.

Week 9

Case studies of two different pressure groups, highlighting

examples of how their methods and influence vary.

Pre-chewed Politics. (Pressure Groups)

Week 10

Other collective organisations and groups including think

tanks, lobbyists and corporations, and their

influence on government and Parliament.

Assessment 3:Do pressure groups make the UK more or less democratic?

Assessments Homework

Week 11

Unit 3: Different electoral systems.

Prepare for test on the following:

First-past-the-post (FPTP), Additional Member System (AMS), Single Transferable Vote (STV) Supplementary

Vote (SV).

Week 12

The advantages and disadvantages of these

different systems.

Week 13

Comparison of first-past-the-post (FPTP) to a different

electoral system in a devolved parliament/assembly.

Make a case for a change to another electoral system.

Week 14

Referendums and how they are used.

How referendums have been used in the UK and their

impact on UK political life since 1997. The case for and

against referendums in a representative democracy.

Assessment 4

Why have referendums been called in the UK?

Week 15

4) Voting behaviour and the media Explain what party

dealignment is.

Week 16

Case studies of three key general elections.

Case studies of three elections (one from the period 1945–

92, the 1997 election, and one since 1997), the results and their impact on parties and

government.

Assessments Homework

Week 17

The influence of the media.

The assessment of the role and impact of the media on politics – both during and

between key general elections, including the

importance and relevance of opinion polls, media bias and

persuasion.

Assessment 5:The media decide who the

next UK government will be, discuss.

Week 18

Unit 2:UK Government:Introduction to the unit, and to the structure of UK Government.

Venn diagrams showing the comparisons between the UK

and US constitutions

Week 19

How the constitution has changed since 1997.

Week 20

Why did the revolutionaries play a significant role in the

downfall of the dynasty?

Assessment 1:How significant were the

constitutional reforms since 1997?

Week 21

The role and powers of devolved bodies in the UK. Debates on further reform.

Class debate on whether the UK should adopt a US style

constitution

Week 22 The extent to which devolution should be

extended within England. Devolution in Scotland, Wales

and Northern Ireland.

Assessment 2:Describe the key features of

the UK constitution. (10)

Assessments Homework

Week 23

2) Parliament.The structure and role of the House of Commons and House of Lords.

Short response question on the distinction between individual and collective ministerial responsibility

Week 24

The legislative processDifferent stages of a bill.

How parliament interacts with the executive.

Role of the opposition and PM’s questions

Week 25

3) Prime Minister & ExecutiveStructure, role and powers of the executive.

Main roles of the executive.

Main powers of the executive.

Ministerial responsibility.

Assessment 3:Evaluate the view that

parliament is effective in carrying out its work of

scrutinizing the UK government (30).

Week 26

The Prime Minister and Cabinet

Power of the PM and Cabinet.

The balance of power between PM and Cabinet.

Powers of the PM and Cabinet to dictate events and policy.

Complete table of UK PMs since 1945.

Week 27

4) Relations Between InstitutionsSupreme Court and the legislative and policy-making processes.

Case study: The Supreme Court and the powers of the UKs devolved bodies.

Assessments Homework

Week 28

The aims, role and impact of the EU on the UK govt.

Role of the EU in policy-making

Impact of the EU on the UK.

Assessment 4:

Evaluate the extent to which the balance of power has

shifted from the executive to parliament in recent years.

(30).

Week 29

The location of sovereignty in the UK political system.

Legal sovereignty and political sovereignty.

Where does sovereignty lie in the UK?

Timeline of events that led to the formation of the EU.

Week 30

1) Conservatism: core ideas and principles

Pragmatism Tradition Human imperfection

Who was Benjamin Disraeli and what were his beliefs?

Week 31

Conservatism:

Organic society/state Paternalism Libertarianism

Explain what Atomism is.

Week 32 2 Differing views and tensions within conservatism

The differing views and tensions within conservatism

Assessment 1:Explain the similarities and

differences between traditional, one-nation, and

new right conservatives. (30)

Assessments Homework

Week 33

3 Conservative thinkers and their ideas

Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679)

Edmund Burke (1729–1797)

Michael Oakeshott (1901–1990)

Ayn Rand (1905–1982)

Explain the following terms:

Noblesse oblige, Anti-permissiveness. Radical.Human imperfection

Who was Robert Nozick (1938–2002) and what did he believe?

Week 34

4) Liberalism: core ideas and principles

Core ideas and principles of liberalism and how they relate to human nature, the state, society and the economy

Assessment 2:To what extent is the UK a

liberal democracy?

Define the following:Foundational equalityFormal equalityEquality of opportunitySocial contractMeritocracyMechanistic theoryToleranceLimited government

Week 35

2 Differing views and tensions within liberalism

Classical liberalism and modern liberalism.

Class presentations on:KeynesianismEgoistical individualism Developmental individualism Negative freedomPositive freedomLaissez-faire capitalism

Week 36 3 Liberal thinkers and their ideas

John LockeMary WollstonecraftJohn Stuart MillJohn RawlsBetty Friedan

Week 37

1 Socialism: core ideas and principles

Core ideas and principles of socialism and how they relate to human nature, the state, society and the economy

Fact files on the following:Karl Marx

Friedrich EngelsBeatrice Webb

Prepare for assessment.

Assessments Homework

Week 38

2 Differing views and tensions within socialism

What are:Revolutionary socialismSocial democracyThe Third Way

Assessment 3:To what extent was Tony Blair wedded to the theory of ‘The

Third Way?’

Explain the following terms:FraternityCooperationCapitalismCommon ownership Communism

Week 39

3 Socialist thinkers and their ideas

Rosa LuxemburgAnthony CroslandAnthony Giddens

List of suggested wider reading sources/videos and websites:

Pre-chewed Politics.Question Time (BBC)Parliament Channel (Sky TV)Edexcel AS/A Level Politics (Pearson)

IAG links:

University Rankings for 2018

Careers:

Most common career links include…

- Academic librarian- Archaeologist- Archivist- Barrister- Government research officer- Journalist- Curator- Museum education officer- Museum gallery curator- Political research assistant- Press officer- Teacher- Public broadcaster- Trade union research officer