What are lessons like in this subject?
Studying Pearson Edexcel A-level Politics is engaging, current, and debate-driven. The course covers UK politics and government, political ideologies (like socialism, conservatism, and liberalism), and global politics, including international relations and global institutions. You'll explore how political systems work, how power is distributed, and how political decisions affect society. It’s ideal for students who enjoy following the news, debating issues, and thinking critically about democracy, rights, and global affairs. Assessments are essay-based, so strong writing and argumentation skills are important. The content is dynamic and constantly evolving, making it a subject that feels relevant and thought-provoking.
What will I study?
Component 1: UK Politics
- Democracy and political participation.
- UK political parties.
- Electoral systems.
- Voting behaviour and the media.
- Core political ideas: conservatism, liberalism and socialism.
Component 2: UK Government
- The Constitution.
- Parliament.
- The prime minister and the cabinet.
- Relations between the branches.
- Non-core political ideas: anarchism.
Component 3: Comparative Politics: The USA
- The Constitution.
- The presidency.
- Congress.
- The Supreme Court.
- Comparative approaches- how do US/UK politics compare?
I feel as if studying A level Politics has had a real world impact on me, I carry over important critical thinking skills and real world knowledge outside of education. The subject is not just a course you do and forget after the exam as the content is really interesting and helps me link real time events to items I have covered in lesson.
Annabel Paterson, The Hayfield School
Politics
Please note: Subject videos have been filmed from colleges across our Trust.
