Lawrence Sheriff School, Rugby

Government and Politics

Government and Politics is offered to Lawrence Sheriff students as a three-year course beginning in year 10. Whereas most subjects in year 10 are studied to GCSE level, Government and Politics is offered as an AS and A2 course.

The AS course is studied over two years and comprises three modules on British Government and Politics:

• Electoral Systems and Voting Behaviour

The nature of politics and political culture; theories of voting behaviour; different electoral systems and the use of referendums

• Parties and Pressure Groups

The ideologies, structure and organisation of the major political parties; typologies, methods of operation and the impact of pressure groups and protest movements

• Representative Institutions

The functions and effectiveness of Parliament and the European institutions; the roles, powers and resources of the Prime Minister, Cabinet, Ministers and the Civil Service

The first two modules are examined after four terms in the January of year 11 and the third module is examined at the end of year 11.

The A2 course is studied over one year in year 12 and comprises a further three modules:

• Comparative British and American Government

Comparisons of the nature of constitutions; of Congress and Parliament; of Prime Ministerial and Presidential Government; and of judicial institutions

• The Politics of the USA

Political parties; pressure groups; the US electoral process and direct democracy; and political culture and voting behaviour

• A Synoptic Module

In which students draw on material from all the modules studied in order to examine in depth issues around Power and Participation and Representation

Take up each year varies between ten and fifteen students. It has always proved a popular subject and the results have been very encouraging.

Lawrence Sheriff School, Clifton Road, RUGBY CV21 3AG

Tel: 01788 542074 or 01788 843700
Fax: 01788 567962
lss@lawrencesheriffschool.com