Politics
Aims and Vison
In the Politics department our mission is to produce students who have inquisitive and an eagerness to embrace complex ideas and differing views of the world. Our Politics curriculum helps students to explain the world that they live in and decisions that are made by those with power by exploring current and historic thinking. Politics students are independent and resilient learners who engage readily in the process of exploring belief systems of different peoples in differing societies and draw parallels with the present while learning to respect the points of views of others. With a forever changing political horizon it is vital that our curriculum encourages students to understand themselves based on the world around them and to understand others in local, national, and global communities whatever their choices in the future and the responsibilities that we have as global citizens with the courage to voice opinions against perceived wrongs. The curriculum aims to give students the confidence to defend their beliefs and the ability to be open-minded and kind about the beliefs of others, approaching political ideas with a critical eye. We aim to enable every pupil to leave with an academic qualification with options leading to further education or employment and personal economic wellbeing.
Further info:
Politics |
Components |
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What new knowledge/content do we introduce? |
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Year 12 |
Year 13 |
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Autumn |
UK Government Introduction to Politics: 2. Parliament 2.1 The structure and nature of House of Commons and House of Lords 2.2 The comparative powers of House of Commons and House of Lords 2.3 The legislative process 2.4 The ways in which Parliament interacts with the executive 3. Prime Minister and executive 3.1 The structure role and powers of the executive 3.2 The concept of ministerial responsibility 3.3 The Prime Minister and Cabinet 3.3.1 The power of PM and Cabinet |
UK Politics Democracy and participation 1) Democracy and participation 1.1 Current systems of representative democracy and direct democracy 1.2 Debates over suffrage 1.3 Pressure groups and other influences 1.4 Rights in context 2) Political parties 2.1The functions and features of political parties Funding of political parties 2.2 Established political parties 2.3 Emerging and minor UK political parties 2.4 UK political parties in context |
US Politics (Teacher 1) The Constitution Compromises of the Constitution The Nature of the Constitution Amending the Constitution Key Principles of the Constitution Comparing the US and UK Constitutions The Supreme Court Membership of the Supreme Court Judicial philosophy The appointment and confirmation process The power of judicial review Judicial activism and judicial restraint |
(Teacher 2) The Presidency Formal powers of the President The vice president The Cabinet EXOP The relations with Congress Direct authority Theories of presidential power The president and foreign policy Limits on presidential power Comparing president and Prime Minister Elections Presidential Elections Congressional Elections
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Spring |
1.The Constitution – 1.1 Nature and sources 1.2 How the Constitution has changed since 1997 1.3 Role and powers of devolved bodies in the UK and the impact of devolution in the UK 1.4 Debates on further reform 4. Relations between branches 4.1 The Supreme Court 4.2 The relationship between the Executive and Parliament 4.3 The aims, role and impact of the EU 4.4 The location of sovereignty in the UK political system
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3 Electoral Systems 3.1 Different electoral systems 3.2 Referendums and how they are used 3.3 Electoral system analysis 4. Voting behaviour and the media 4.1 Case studies of three key general elections 4.2 The influence of the media |
Supreme Court (Con’d) SCOUS and Bill of Rights SCOUS and public policy Checks on the power of the Supreme Court Comparing the US and UK Supreme Court Civil Rights and Liberties Congress The structure and composition of Congress The powers of Congress Comparing the House and the Senate Oversight Legislation Parties in Congress Comparing Congress and UK Parliament |
Parties and pressure Groups Party organisation Party ideology Party policies Coalitions of supporters Polarisation of US politics The two party system Third parties Current conflicts in the parties Comparing US and UK parties The theory of Pressure Groups Functions of pressure groups Methods used by pressure groups Power of pressure groups Impact of pg on government Comparing US and UK pressure groups |
Summer |
Feminism option 1Feminism Ideas and Principles 2Different types of Feminism 3Feminist thinkers and their ideas Revision and practice assessment |
Core political ideas Conservatism Liberalism Socialism Revision and practice assessment |
Practice comparison and comparison techniques (Rational, cultural and structural) Revision and final exams |
Practice comparison and comparison techniques Revision and final exams |
Rationale for these specific components |
This theme enables students to understand how political structures work in the UK and understand the historical context Students will also have an awareness of the changing nature of politics and how the different branches of government are related. Students should develop an interest in and become engaged with contemporary politics |
This theme enables students to develop an understanding of how people engage in the political process in the UK. Students will investigate in detail how people and politics interact. This section allows students to understand the individual in the political process and their relationship with the state and their fellow citizens. Students should develop an interest in and become engaged with contemporary politics |
This unit moves the focus from the UK to US politics and aims to give students an understanding of how political systems work in the US. A key aspect of the unit is comparison between US and UK political systems. Students should be able to make comparisons and identify similarities and differences between the two |
As for teacher 1 |
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Composites |
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What do students do with this knowledge? |
Students must investigate how the structure of the political system works in a modern day setting by applying their knowledge to current affairs and reading around the subject to broaden their knowledge |
Students must investigate different political systems as found in the USA. They should use this to apply the theory to current affairs and reading around the subject to broaden knowledge and make sense of contemporary politics. They should make comparisons between US politics and UK politics. |
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Intent Statement |
By the end of year 12, an IGS politics student will: · Develop an enthusiasm for studying politics · Develop a critical understanding of political structures in the UK and how they work in modern Britain · Generate enterprising and creative approaches applying modern day examples to political theories |
By the end of year 13, an IGS politics student will: · Gain a holistic understanding of politics in a range of contexts · Understand that politics can be studied from a range of perspectives and be able to develop a balanced viewpoint based on a range of sources · Be aware of the bias in the media and on line and be able to research from a range of sources · acquire a range of relevant political and generic skills, including decision making, problem solving, the challenging of assumptions and critical analysis · Be able to form own opinions and realise these may differ from others
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Links to previous learning |
Key Stage 4 Politics is not studied in KS4 but there are links to citizenship. A Level politics builds upon students' citizenship education by delving deeper into the rights and responsibilities of citizens which has been taught throughout students' citizenship journey at IGS. Through looking at this through the existing political systems, students will develop an understanding of how laws are created and how voting impacts the creation and direction of government. Through looking at discrimination in the work place in year 10 and worker's rights student will be able to tackle case studies in politics regarding turning points in legislation and pressure groups. |
Year 12 Using the previous knowledge (Unit 1 and Unit 2) and use it to build on unit 3 and make comparisons between the US and UK political systems |
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Key vocabulary |
UK Government Constitution Unentrenched Entrenched Uncodified Codified Parliamentary sovereignty The rule of Law Statute law Common Law Conventions Authorative Works Treaties Devolution Parliament House of Commons House of Lords Confidence and supply Salisbury convention Parliamentary privilege Legislative bills Public Bills Committees Backbenchers Select committees Opposition Executive Cabinet Minister Government department Royal prerogative Secondary legislation Individual responsibility Presidential government Supreme Court Judicial neutrality Judicial independence Judicial review Elective dictatorship European Union (EU) Four freedoms (EU) Legal sovereignty Political sovereignty Ultra vires Otherness Equality and difference feminism Intersectionality |
UK Politics Legitimacy Direct democracy Representative democracy Pluralist democracy Democratic deficit Participation crisis Franchise/suffrage Think tanks Lobbyists Old Labour (social democracy) New Labour (Third Way) One Nation New Right Classical liberals Modern liberals Party systems Left wing Right wing First-past-the-post (FPTP) Additional Member System (AMS) Single Transferable Vote (STV) Supplementary Vote (SV) Safe seat Marginal seat Minority government Coalition governmentFirst-past-the-post (FPTP) Additional Member System (AMS) Single Transferable Vote (STV) Supplementary Vote (SV) Safe seat Marginal seat Minority government Coalition government Class dealignment Partisan dealignment Governing competency Disillusion and apathy Manifesto Mandate Hierarchy Authority Change to conserve Atomism Hierarchy Authority Change to conserve Atomism Noblesse oblige Anti-permissiveness Radical Human imperfection Laissez-faire Empiricism Foundational equality Formal equality Equality of opportunity Social contract Meritocracy Mechanistic theory Tolerance Limited government Egoistical individualism Developmental individualism Negative freedom Positive freedom Laissez-faire capitalism Keynesianism Egoistical individualism Developmental individualism Negative freedom Positive freedom Laissez-faire capitalism Keynesianism Harm principle Minimal state Enabling state Fraternity Cooperation Capitalism Common ownership Communism Evolutionary socialism Marxism Revisionism Social justice Class consciousness Historical materialism Dialectic Keynesian economics |
Unit 3 Bipartisanship Checks and balances Codification Constitution Entrenchment Enumerated powers Federalism Limited government ‘Principle’ Separation of powers Congressional caucuses Divided government Filibuster Gridlock Incumbency Mid-term elections Oversight Partisanship Unanimous consent Domestic politics Electoral mandate Executive branch Executive orders Imperial presidency Imperilled presidency Informal powers Powers of persuasion Unified Government Conservative justice Imperial judiciary Judicial activism Judicial restraint Judicial review Liberal justice Living constitution Originalism Public policy Stare decisis Strict/loose constructionist Swing justice Constitutional rights Racial equality Affirmative action Campaign finance Factions Invisible primary Political Action Committees (PACs) Party system Policy group Professional group Single interest group Soft/hard money Super PACs Religious right |
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How is challenge embedded in the Key Stage 5 curriculum |
· Powerpoints have challenge tasks · Each activity is differentiated · Each component has an assessment based on A-level exam style questions |
· Powerpoints have challenge tasks · Each activity is differentiated · Each component has an assessment based on A-level exam style questions |
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Cultural Capital |
A number of websites and podcasts are used to allow students to experience the political world. A selection of the articles can be seen below · www.worldpoliticsreview.com · www.parliament.uk · www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics · www.totalpolitics Westminster hour: a weekly podcast |
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WIDER READING |
Books Cameron at 10 - Anthony Seldon Betting the House - The story of the 2017 Election All our War – Tim Shipman (story of Brexit) Becoming – Michelle Obama Prisoners of Geography - Tim Marshall This Boy – Alan Johnson If only they didn’t speak English – Jon Sopel How to lose a referendum _ Jason Farrell (why the UK voted Brexit) Magazines and Periodicals Political Review Private Eye The Economist Newspapers such as the Guardian, The Observer, Times, and Telegraph all have good political sections |