AS Level GOVERNMENT & POLITICS (EDEXCEL) Courses

1 and 2 year courses

AS Course Outline

What Is Government & Politics?
"Politics is the art of the possible."

Government & Politics at AS does not require previous GCSE experience of the subject. It will be suited to students who enjoy listening to political debates and watching the activities of party leaders and of government. Candidates should take a keen interest in current affairs and read a daily broadsheet newspaper.

Government & Politics analyses how the British Political System developed over time and how we make decisions to govern ourselves. The study of politics is the study of which groups get the resources society produces, when and why they get those resources, how conflict is avoided and why power is transferred peacefully from one party to another.

Students will develop a keen interest in who exactly has power and authority in the British Political System and whether they are accountable for the power they use. Candidates will be familiar with key concepts such as Representation, Power, Authority, Ideology, Constitutions, Pluralism, Separation of Powers and Adversary Politics.

Students will examine questions such as:
"How important are Pressure Groups?"
"What do the Labour and Conservative Parties stand for?"
"How is the government elected?"
"Does the Prime Minister have too much power?"
"Is Parliament effective?"
"What do judges do?"

What Skills Will Students Develop When Studying Government & Politics?
Government & Politics enables students to maturely understand how the UK is governed which will be an asset when working within a business environment.
Students will be able to use the political system for their own benefit and will have a healthy grasp of issues that affect their everyday lives.
After completing the subject, students will confidently be able to debate political issues and learn the skills of persuasive argument and counter-argument.
Students will develop their essay writing skills during the course and will have to assimilate information and present it in a clear and concise way.


Government & Politics (EDEXCEL Board) AS Specification

Unit One
80 minutes
80 marks
50% of AS Exam

People & Politics
This exam focuses on the Nature of Democracy, Elections, Political Parties, Referendums and Pressure Groups.

Unit Two
80 minutes
80 marks
50% of AS Exam

Governing The UK
This exam focuses on the Structure of the British Constitution, the Role of Parliament, the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Impact of the Judiciary.

Structure of the Course
This course will be taught for 6 lessons per week. Homework will be set weekly and deadlines must be adhered to. Reading of textbooks and political coverage in broadsheet newspapers is essential.

Recommended Reading
UK Government & Politics British Politics in Focus 2nd Edition D Roberts

Fees and Dates