Our A Level Politics review gives a deep dive into the course content, exam structure and help available to students. Whilst an extensive breadth of course content is available to students, there are many different exam boards and routes that students can follow to cover various topics.
Study Politics is an online learning platform built for A Level students to unlock their A* potential. Our A Level Politics review looks at the course through multiple lenses of student, teacher and advisor experiences.
A Level Politics Review: Course Content
The A Level Politics curriculum offers a comprehensive exploration of political theories, systems, and issues that shape our political world. The most popular exam board is Edexcel, which is sat by roughly 75% of students across the UK. The Edexcel course is split into three parts.
The first part is British Politics. This covers the nature of democracy and voting, alongside the ways in which our MPs are chosen, known as electoral systems. You’ll also examine how our democracy has evolved over time, from the enfranchisement of women to the role of the media in shaping electoral outcomes. British Politics also covers the government of the UK. This section covers the functions and interrelations of various institutions, such as Parliament, the Prime Minister, and the judiciary. By studying these elements, you’ll learn about the political processes in the UK and the more recent debates surrounding them.
The second aspect is Political Ideologies. Political Ideas are split into core and non-core. The core ideas are liberalism, conservatism and socialism. These ideologies have changed and fragmented over time, and you will examine the splits within them and how they view human nature, the state, society and the economy. These will also cover key political thinkers, such as Karl Marx and Thomas Hobbes. The non-core ideas are anarchism, feminism, ecologism, multiculturalism and nationalism. As part of your studies, you will look at one of these non-core ideas.
The final part of the course is an option between USA and Global Politics. USA Politics looks at the political system in America and how it differs from the UK, such as the Constitution, legislature and Executive. There are also sections on democracy in the USA, such as elections, civil rights and pressure groups. The Global option looks at the comparative theories of realism and liberalism, alongside contemporary global issues of political, economic, human rights and environmental importance.
Overall, the course content is varied and dives deep into many of the debates that currently shape the political landscape. There is a great opportunity for students to engage in various topics and draw comparisons from topics across the course.
A Level Politics Review: Exam Structure
The A Level Politics exams are designed to evaluate your understanding of political concepts and theories, alongside crafting an backing up an evaluation or judgement. Paper 1 of the Edexcel course looks at the UK Politics and Core Political Ideas topics, with two 30-mark essays and one 24-mark essay. This allows you to dive deep into a specific topic covered in the course content.
The second paper takes a similar structure, looking at the UK Government and Non-Core Political Ideas. There are again two 30-mark essays and one 24-mark essay. In one of the 30-mark essays, you’ll be asked to make a synoptic link to the content covered in Paper 1, which will allow you to draw comparisons and analysis across political topics.
The third paper, for either USA or Global Politics, will introduce short-answers, with two 12-mark questions and two 30-mark questions. There is a further opportunity for synoptic links in one of the global 12-mark essays, which refers to the Core Political Ideas. The other essays allow you to give a balanced perspective on a particular area of the course covered.
The exams aren’t just about demonstrating that you know the content that you have covered. They also give you an opportunity to showcase your persuasive writing by analysing and evaluating different points within a political debate. This means you can reach a judgment and reiterate a point of view on a contemporary political issue. This is a skill that will serve you well in further study or employment.
In order to maximise exam performance, you should engage in varied revision practices that incorporate both theoretical knowledge and practical application. Reviewing A Level Politics past papers and understanding the types of questions asked can significantly enhance your exam techniques. These are resources that are available for free from a range of sources, including Study Politics.
A Level Politics Review: Skill Development
Studying A Level Politics equips you with powerful skills that are highly sought-after not only in further study but also in various employment settings. One of the primary skills developed is analytical thinking. You’ll learn to dissect complex political arguments, evaluate evidence, and understand different perspectives on governance and political issues. This analytical approach is critical for success in higher education, where you’ll dive even deeper into particular political issues such as protest politics and modern movements.
Critical thinking is another aspect of A Level Politics that will help you in later life. You will learn to assess information critically, challenge dominant assumptions, and construct coherent arguments. This ability to think critically helps in engaging with diverse political theories and ideologies, which can broaden your horizons in approaching controversial issues.
Research skills are also significantly enhanced through the study of A Level Politics. You will be asked through the first two papers to analyse a source, perhaps a newspaper article, a dataset or a forum discussion. You’ll need to break down this information and present the arguments alongside your own knowledge. You’ll also need to stay up-to-date with political events as they happen, as politics is a constantly changing industry.
A Level Politics Review: support and resources
As you navigate your A Level Politics studies, you’ll encounter a range of support and resources designed to enhance the learning and revision experience. The most obvious and advantageous source of support is your teacher. Before signing up to study A Level Politics, you should seek advice from your teacher about whether you would suit the course content and demands. They will be there to offer advice on the content alongside the exam structure.
In addition to your teacher, study groups are an effective strategy for consolidating learning. Collaborating with peers allows for the exchange of ideas and interpretations, potentially introducing you to viewpoints you hadn’t previously considered. You can also tackle more challenging topics by leaning on your coursemates for help.
Furthermore, the rise of online learning has transformed the way students engage with their studies. Websites such as Study Politics offer a range of engaging revision materials tailored specifically for A Level Politics students. These resources include interactive quizzes, informative videos, and comprehensive course notes that cover all topics. By utilising these online tools, you can reinforce their understanding of key concepts at their own pace.
Overall A Level Politics review
Overall, A Level Politics is an interesting course that covers a wide range of topics from across the world of politics. From British to American to political theories, there is ample opportunity to engage with politics from different angles. There is also a range of support available to you from websites such as Study Politics. These will help you tackle the exams and develop the skills that are necessary to thrive in A Level Politics and take your learnings further.
