Government and Politics
“Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen.” Dwight D. Eisenhower
Studying Government and Politics enables pupils to understand how power is organised, exercised and challenged, and how political decisions shape the societies in which we live. Pupils explore some of the most important questions facing modern democracies, including representation, participation, rights, liberty, equality and the distribution of power.
The overarching intent of Government and Politics at Harris Academy Tottenham is to develop informed, critical and engaged citizens who can understand, analyse and evaluate the political systems that shape society. Through the study of UK and US politics alongside political ideologies, pupils develop secure substantive knowledge, sophisticated analytical skills and the ability to construct well-supported political arguments.
Government and Politics is currently studied at A Level. The curriculum is ambitious, coherent and carefully sequenced, moving from foundational political concepts and institutions towards increasingly complex debates about democracy, governance, power and political ideas. Pupils learn not simply what happens in politics, but how to analyse competing interpretations, evaluate political evidence and reach evidence-based judgements.
Mission statement
Our pupils will build the substantive and disciplinary knowledge required to understand and engage critically with the political world around them. Through a rigorous and broad two-year A Level curriculum, they study UK and US government and politics alongside Liberalism, Conservatism, Socialism and Nationalism, developing an understanding of how political institutions operate and how competing ideas shape political decisions.
We want pupils to be able to analyse competing perspectives, use evidence effectively, compare political systems and ideas, and construct convincing, well-supported political arguments. They will learn to question the reliability and credibility of political sources and understand how concepts such as democracy, freedom, power and justice are defined and contested.
Ultimately, we want pupils to leave Harris Academy Tottenham equipped not only for further academic study and the world of work, but also to participate thoughtfully in civic life. They should have the knowledge and intellectual confidence to engage with contemporary political issues, understand competing perspectives and reach informed, evidence-based conclusions of their own.
Staff:
Ms H Parkinson - Subject Lead: Government and Politics
