Politics
Curriculum intent
The Politics department intends to deliver a rich, thorough and challenging curriculum that will develop an understanding of contemporary institutions and political theory which underpins the world in which we live. Politics students will follow the Edexcel specification which reflects the demands of a modern and evolving political environment, both in the United Kingdom and on the world stage. The Politics department aims to develop students’ understanding of the wider political context so that they are able to understand their position in society and the world around them.
For further details of the Politics curriculum please see the documents at the bottom of the page or contact Mrs. E Hamlin.
Implementation
At Key Stage 5, students are taught for one 120-minute lesson and three 80-minute lesson per week and follow the Edexcel Politics A Level specification. In their first year, students focus their studies on UK Politics, UK Government and the political ideologies of conservatism, liberalism, socialism and nationalism. In their second year, students undertake a depth study of international relations and global politics. They develop a thorough understanding of global institutions and the challenges they face, such as human rights’ violations, poverty and the environment. This is an essential basis of knowledge for any aspiring politician as it enables them to understand contemporary events within the broader global and historical context.
The Politics Department follow a school-wide approach to ensuring that students acquire a deep knowledge, both in their class and homework. Underpinning our schemes of work lies the HABE Way Principles, including utility of The Big Question that both captivate and inspire our students, encouragement of challenge through Thinking Hard strategies and by following the ‘I do, We do, You do’ model of instruction. Strategies in developing this deep knowledge include weekly news reviews, mastery techniques, knowledge retrieval activities, and an emphasis on the “Bigger Picture” of students’ learning. Students’ progress is reliant on their pre-reading completion, which not only provides them with their contextual understanding but best prepares them for academic life. Their lessons are both engaging and challenging, with lessons focussed on enriching the understanding of students to an A* level. Students are introduced to academic reading so as to improve their understanding of higher order thinking and concepts, whilst introducing them to challenging abstract written styles that can develop their own.
We thrive on being able to offer our students with subject-specific workshops and trips which reinforce student learning practically in order to foster a love of learning and developing their understanding of the political world around them. With close proximity to central London, we are keen for our students to maximise their understanding of the Westminster system by attending Parliament and speeches from prolific political figures.
Impact
By the end of their study, students will know and understand the key aspects of UK and global politics and governance. They will be able to comparatively analyse the key concepts and aspects in order assess the similarities and differences between political institutions, whilst offering a superior knowledge of specific political events which have changed the course of history. Our students have the opportunity to regularly practice the essay writing and deliberate practice of specific assessment objectives throughout their ‘You do’ tasks. They are regularly supported in their practice by rigorous and extensive feedback which is focused on specific elements of the mark scheme to refine improvement, and which enables students to become reflective learners.
Successful students of Politics have the potential for future study primarily in Politics, Law, and Journalism. They are provided with extensive analytical skills and will have developed a sound understanding of writing concisely, deploying key statistics and data in order to argue persuasively – a vital skill required of students in any Humanities subject.
