Department Leader: Bill Pringle
What is offered?
Through experienced and high quality teaching staff the KBA Politics department delivers the Pearson (Edexcel) Politics A level course. A Level Politics is a traditional academic and social sciences/humanities based A Level which is assessed by way of 3 exams at the end of Year 13. A Level Politics comprises 4 substantial areas of study each of which are assessed through terminal examination – UK Politics, UK Government, Core and Non-core Political Ideas and a comparative module that focusing on synoptic comparison of similarities and differences between the UK and US political and governmental systems. The Sixth Form Prospectus will provide full details of our specific curriculum offer.
What is Politics?
Every area of our lives is affected by politics; human rights, wealth & poverty, the environment, work & welfare, tax & finance, education, law & order, trade, travel, sport, family, social relationships, international relations, - there is no escape from politics or justification for saying ‘I don’t do politics’!
Politics is fundamentally about ‘us’. It is about how and why national and global society and our communities have developed and operate as they do. Concepts of power and authority, democracy, rights and obligations, public participation and philosophical viewpoints and ideologies underpin the course and are central to our sense of our place in the world.
It is an important aspect of citizenship to understand our rights and responsibilities. To understand, for example, our rights on arrest, when buying goods and services, our liabilities when buying a house and the consequences that will follow if we default on those rules and rights.
Politics is the broad, universal, and essential study of how governments, policies, and institutions we interact constantly with work. As such we should very interested in it.
As Pericles said over ”Just because you do not take an interest in Politics, does not mean Politics won’t take an interest in you.”
Pathways in Politics
Many students will choose Politics because they are interested in pursuing a career in one of the many professions most closely linked to political life – political research and candidacy, the law, journalism, the Civil service, local government, teaching, social services, banking & finance, and the voluntary sector/ management and business in many settings both in the UK and abroad.
Whatever your career aspirations you will find that universities regard A Level Politics as a high-quality Level 3 qualification and it is an excellent choice for students who aspire to higher education.
Through your analysis of both recent and current political problems, decision-making and transatlantic case studies, you will become skilled in researching, absorbing and evaluating large amounts of information. These are important skills in a vast range of professions in business and industry.
You will develop your oral and written communication and presentation skills, which are needed by all universities and employers these days.
You will learn how to approach tasks in a clear, reasoned and logical way.
You will learn how to become an effective problem solver and a well-informed, active citizen.
Bill Pringle