Government & Politics

Why is Politics important?

Political knowledge helps us to ask fundamental questions of where power lies in our local, national and global communities: why are elections called? How are humans ‘naturally’ inclined to act? Why has the UN been unable to take action to prevent war crimes in Syria? Through studying politics, students have the chance to develop a critical understanding of the world around them and to challenge assumptions they may hold.

What is the aim of the Politics curriculum at Oaklands?

The politics curriculum at Oaklands aims to support students to understand the world around us, from the UK context, to the European context to the global context. Students also get the chance to look at the key tenets of political theory; liberalism, conservatism, socialism and feminism. Throughout their two year study, students improve their ability to confront complex questions: to what extent do socialists disagree in their conceptions of the state? To what extent is international law enforceable? Is the UK Parliament still sovereign? Politics students in the sixth form are encouraged to promote the raising of political consciousness across the school by taking part in debates, assemblies and mock elections.

How is the curriculum in Politics structured?

The politics curriculum at Oaklands is structured to allow the sequential widening of political understanding, and hence the application of knowledge to new situations. Students begin the A level course by considering the specific UK democratic context. From there, students consider the mechanisms of central government and how different branches work together in the running of the country. From this basis of contextual democractic understanding, students then consider the core political ideologies of conservatism, liberalism and socialism before moving on to consider feminism and global politics in their second year of A level.