A LEVEL AND IB POLITICS

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1 A LEVEL AND IB POLITICS A Level Government and Politics The Department will follow the new AQA specification for Government and Politics from September The course provides a comprehensive grounding in politics and political science debates through an examination of British and American Politics and political ideologies. For paper 1, pupils will examine various aspects of British government and politics; not only how the country is organised (for example the workings of Parliament, the role of the Prime Minister and elections) but also current issues and developments (for example the methods by which contemporary pressure groups try to achieve their aims, the nature of the alleged democratic deficit in the UK and the impact of the UK s scheduled departure from the European Union). Pupils visit Parliament and the UK Supreme Court every year in order to see the key branches of government in action. For paper 2, pupils study American Politics, with a focus on developing understanding of the institutions of US government and the issues affecting the US political process. They also study comparative politics, where key similarities and differences between the USA and UK are analysed. For paper 3, students study the political ideologies of Conservatism, Socialism and Liberalism along with the key thinkers associated with these ideas. A further political ideology is also studied from a choice of five (see options below). The department is the only school in the UK that hosts Congress to Campus, where former members of Congress and academic experts speak on a range of key issues, including the role of the Supreme Court, the power of the President, electoral processes in the USA and the effectiveness of Congress. Furthermore, highly successful joint history/politics trips to Washington DC took place in October 2014 and October The student-led politics society also organise additional speakers and help increase the profile of the department. Examination results have been consistently impressive in the last few years, with 79 per cent of A2 pupils achieving A*/A in summer 2016, with 97% achieving A*/B. The new AQA Politics A level course is comprised of three core areas: 1. Government and politics of the UK 2. Government and politics of the USA and comparative politics 3. Political ideas Paper 1: Government and Politics of the UK Government of the UK: Nature and sources of the UK constitution The structure and role of Parliament The Prime Minister and cabinet The judiciary Devolution Politics of the UK: Democracy and participation Elections and referendums

2 Political parties European Union Paper 2: Government and politics of the USA and comparative politics Government of the USA: The constitutional framework of US government The legislative branch of government: Congress The executive branch of government: President The judicial branch of government Politics of the USA: The electoral process and direct democracy Political parties Civil rights Comparative politics Students will study the following three theoretical approaches to the study of comparative politics: Structural Rational Cultural. Students will use the above theoretical approaches to analyse key similarities and differences between the USA and UK and evaluate the extent to which they explain these similarities and differences, based on the following issues: Constitutional arrangements The legislatures The executives Judiciaries Electoral and party systems Civil rights Paper 3: Political ideas Students will study three core ideologies: Liberalism Conservatism Socialism Students will study one of the following five ideologies: Nationalism Feminism Multiculturalism

3 Anarchism Ecologism Assessment There is a written examination for each of the three components Duration: two hours 77 marks for each paper Questions are a mixture of medium length explain and essay style questions with no coursework Requirements to study A level Politics An A* in either IGCSE English or another humanities subject (History, Geography, or Religious Studies for example). Candidates must have at least an A in English. Syllabus Link Potential careers Politics is an academic, essay-based subject. Many pupils pursue the subject through to degree level. Others move from studying Politics at A-Level to reading Law at university. Politics A-Level is often studied alongside a Modern Language (French or German) by those intending to read European Studies or International Relations at university. It can also provide a route into PPE and related courses. Five pupils secured places at Cambridge University to read HSPS in Contact for further information: Mr Dibran Zeqiri: dz@wellingtoncollege.org.uk

4 IB Global Politics The 21 st century is characterised by rapid global change and increasing interconnectedness. Pupils leaving Wellington now enter an even more globalised education and job market. This course studies how our globalised world functions. We study the key political questions. How is power exercised in today s globalised world and what is the nature of today s world order? How do we manage peace and conflict? How is development best achieved and sustained? How are human rights best upheld and crimes against humanity prevented or punished? This course is at the heart of an IB education pupils learn about how the world around them is managed, how nations work together and clash with each other, how development and human rights can improve the world around us and what it means to be a global citizen. The course includes a mix of political theory and contemporary case studies. The teaching focuses on developments in the last 10 years, but historical context is also considered. Wellington was one of 15 schools across the world participating in the first phase of the Global Politics pilot course. This brand new IB course focused on world politics and international relations. By September 2015, Global Politics had been rolled out worldwide as a mainstream IB course, with over 50 schools across the world participating. Wellington has been in a unique position, actively developing this course over the last four years, and is a leading IB school in the field of global politics. The number of pupils taking IB Global Politics at Wellington has grown rapidly, with 18 students currently in the lower sixth split into two sets, with all but one studying higher level. Examination results have been excellent, with 100 per cent achieving levels 6 and 7 in the last two years. In summer 2016, seven out of eight pupils achieved level 7. The department held its inaugural global politics conference in March 2015, which attracted several important speakers including Sir Andrew Wood, Lord Malloch Brown and Shami Chakrabarti. The next conference took place on for November 25th 2016 and was similarly successful. There are four core units two studied in each year. Unit 1 Power, Sovereignty and International Relations: Theories of power. Superpowers and balance of power. Hard and soft power. Economic and military power. Fragile states (Somalia, Afghanistan) and rising states (Brazil, India, China). Intergovernmental organisations the UN, European Union. The role of NGOs (Red Cross, Amnesty, Greenpeace). Global governance. Unit 2 Human Rights: The UN Universal Declaration. Shifting conceptions of human rights. Geneva Conventions. War crimes and genocide. International Criminal Court. Human rights advocacy. Regional and national enforcement of human rights. Unit 3 Development: Models of development. Measuring development. Factors that prohibit and promote development (social, political, economic). Sustainable development. Unit 4 Peace and Conflict: Types of conflict (territorial / ideological). Causes of conflict (greed vs grievance). Manifestations of conflict. Conflict resolution. Higher Level Extension Higher Level pupils additionally produce two 10 minute presentations on a case study relating to a global political challenge. Topics include: Migration; Culture and Identity; Poverty; Health and Disease; International Security; Environment and Sustainability. Examinations: Paper One (source based) SL & HL 1 hour 15 mins

5 Paper Two (essay based) SL: 2 questions 1hr 45 mins. HL: 3 questions 2hrs 45 mins Syllabus links: Requirements Global Politics is a subject that should appeal to pupils who take an active interest in current affairs. A good standard of written English is essential to success in both the examination and the coursework elements of the assessment. Some of the skills needed are similar to those you may have developed when studying History or other Humanities subjects earlier in your school career (e.g. essay writing, data response). Global Politics combines well with subjects such as English, History, Economics and Modern Languages. Those opting to pursue Higher Level courses in a number of non-humanities subjects might consider taking this course as a complimentary subject. Pupils taking up the Subject in the Lower Sixth will normally be expected to have achieved an A grade in GCSE English and at least one other Humanities subject (e.g. History, Geography, or Religious Studies). Further information: Mr Rob Murphy: rabm@wellingtoncollege.org.uk