AS Level Politics

EDEXCEL 8PL0

This Sample shows One module from the full course and is designed to give you a flavour of the Wolsey Hall approach to home study.

Politics is about power and decision-making and affects all our lives. Whether we take a keen interest in political developments or do our best to avoid them, we are all affected by them. Influential people and policies change, and the character of political institutions changes too. It is this dynamism that makes the subject so exciting!

The Edexcel AS politics course allows you to explore the political ideas, activities and institutions that underpin societies. You will focus first on UK Politics, learning about different forms of democracy and political participation in the UK, about the electoral systems used, and the various influences on voters’ decisions. This is followed by a set of modules on the components of UK government, focusing on the roles of these institutions and how they interact.

You will be assessed through a variety of written responses, which will test your ability to use detailed and relevant knowledge as a foundation for analysis and evaluative judgements. There is a strong emphasis on being able to identify connections, and some questions will explicitly ask you to make links to other parts of the course. In the final examination you can expect questions that require you to draw on knowledge and understanding from more than one topic.

If you are new to the course click here for important information.

Course Structure

Wolsey Hall A Level courses are written around textbooks which we have chosen as the best available for each syllabus. You will be guided through your textbook(s) by working through a series of online modules. These have been developed by a subject specialist and include detailed guidance linked to the textbook(s) and extensive online resources.

Once you have completed all the material and activities provided in each module, and feel comfortable with the subject content, you should begin work on the assignment at the end of the module. You will submit your assignments via Canvas, to be marked by your tutor. Each assignment is then returned to you with a grade and detailed feedback within 3-5 days.

You should make sure you review all of the feedback provided by your tutor on the previous assignment, as well as looking at the mark scheme and any specimen answers before beginning each new assignment.

Course Support

You have been enrolled by your Progress Manager who is available to help you with any administrative issues, to support you throughout your course and help you keep to your Assignment Schedule.

You will begin your course with a welcome video call with your course tutor. Here you will have an opportunity to discuss the course and raise any questions or concerns. You can also have a second call (30 minutes max) with your tutor at any time during the course. Think carefully about when to use this and discuss it with your tutor. Halfway through the course may be a good idea, or perhaps towards the end, when you are revising and need a few helpful tips. On this course, you may like to consider having your second call after completing Assignment 4 as you move from content based on Paper 1 to content based on Paper 2. At other times, if you require guidance, you will be able to contact your tutor via the Canvas messaging system.

Programme of Study

At the start of each course, you will find your Programme of Study, which explains how the course is structured, gives details of your syllabus and examinations and alerts you to the important resources you will need to use throughout your course, which can be found in the General Resources section of the course. At the end of this page, you will find an overview of the reading you need to do in your textbook(s) and details of how each module and topic relates to the syllabus. Please read this document very carefully, alongside the syllabus, before you begin work on the course and before meeting your tutor.

Course Aims

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of contemporary political structures in the United Kingdom within their historical context;
Show a critical awareness of the changing nature of politics and the relationships between political ideas, institutions and processes;
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the influences and interests that have an impact on decisions in government and politics;
Understand the rights and responsibilities of individuals and groups within political systems;
Critically analyse, interpret and evaluate political information to form arguments and make judgments;
Expand your interest in, and engagement with, contemporary politics;
Write clearly and concisely, explaining your ideas in full and developing your argument effectively.

Syllabus, Examinations and Assessment

This Wolsey Hall course is designed to prepare you for the Edexcel AS Politics examinations which you will sit at an Edexcel exam centre. It is vitally important that you become familiar with the syllabus which can be found below:

READ – Edexcel AS Politics Syllabus (Issue 2)Download READ – Edexcel AS Politics Syllabus (Issue 2)

The examination code for AS Politics is: 8PL0

For the AS in Politics, you will sit the following two papers:

Paper 1: UK Politics – This paper is worth 50% of your overall AS grade. Length: 1 hours and 45 minutes.

This paper carries 60 marks in total.

Section A: Candidates answer one 10-mark question from a choice of two, which assesses AO1.

Section B: Candidates answer two 10-mark questions; one focuses on a single source and assesses AO1 and AO2. The other question focuses on two comparative sources and assesses AO2 and AO3.

Section C: Candidates answer one 30-mark question from a choice of two, which assesses AO1, AO2 and AO3.

Paper 2: UK Government – This paper is worth 50% of your overall AS grade. Length: 1 hours and 45 minutes.

This paper carries 60 marks in total.

Section A: Candidates answer one 10-mark question from a choice of two, which assesses AO1.

Section B: Candidates answer two 10-mark questions; one focuses on a single source and assesses AO1 and AO2. The other question focuses on two comparative sources and assesses AO2 and AO3.

Section C: Candidates answer one 30-mark question from a choice of two, which assesses AO1, AO2 and AO3.

All components are externally assessed.

The syllabus is only examined in the May/June series.

Please note: The Edexcel AS Politics course (syllabus 8PL0) is a standalone AS course. The material covered on this course is very similar to that for the first year of the full A Level course, but the format and structure of the exam questions is different and further content is included in the first year of the full A Level. If you wish to continue to the full A Level in Politics (syllabus 9PL0) after completing this AS course, you will sit another three exam papers at the end of the full A Level course and the grade received for your AS qualification will not count towards your full A Level qualification. You will also need to make sure you are familiar with all content on the full A Level Politics course in preparation for the exams.

If, during this course, you decide you wish to complete the full A Level in Politics, you must let your Student Progress Manager know as soon as possible so you can move over to the correct course on Canvas.

Assessment Objectives

The assessment objectives (AOs) for AS Politics are as follows:

AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of political institutions, processes, concepts, theories and issues.
AO2: Analyse aspects of politics and political information, including in relation to parallels, connections, similarities and differences.
AO3: Evaluate aspects of politics and political information, including to construct arguments, make substantiated judgements and draw conclusions.

Textbook and Resources

Wolsey Hall offers a unique model of offline and online resources to our homeschooling students – a model which we have developed based on our many years’ experience of providing homeschooling courses to students.

Textbook

Each subject specialist team carefully selects the best textbook for you to use as you study. The textbook for your AS Politics course is:

Edexcel AS/A Level Politics with ActiveBook CD, by Andrew Colclough, Dr Graham Goodlad, Samantha Laycock, Ian Levinson, Dr Andrew Mitchell, Kathy Schindler and Adam Tomes, (Pearson Education, 2017); ISBN: 9781292187020

The table below will highlight which pages you should read for each module. Relevant activities from the textbooks are incorporated within the Tasks and Wider Reading and Research sections for each topic.

Resources

In addition to your textbook, we have sourced a range of additional resources to support your learning. The resources are clearly marked out in the module pages and you should make use of these alongside your textbook to ensure that you get the very best out of your course.

You will also find a range of key resources in the General Resources section of the course. These are items which relate to the course as a whole, rather than to specific modules, and as such, you should make regular use of them. For AS Politics, these are:

General Resource Materials for Your Course

AS Politics Glossary
Optional Further Reading for AS Politics
Topical Information for Politics – This folder is updated regularly with links to topical news stories and information about current events. New materials will be announced on Canvas to remind you to check it often.
Useful Podcasts for Politics
Advice for 30-mark Essay Questions for AS
Advice for 30-mark Source Questions for AS
Advice for 10-mark Describe Questions
Advice for 10-mark Source Questions

Edexcel Guidance and Exemplar Material

Politics Assessment Guidance
Question Command Words
Sample Assessment Materials (Issue 2)
Exemplar Material

Useful Weblinks

You should also make use of the extensive exam preparation material at the end of the course to help you to prepare for your final examination.

Structure of the Course

All the files required for your course are uploaded onto our Learning Management System, Canvas. Once you have read through this page and downloaded the Programme of Study (POS) then you are ready to begin the course.

The key course content is covered in eight core modules, each of which has an assignment at the end of it. These modules will help you to get the most out of your textbook. Module Nine, at the end of the course, is focussed on revision and exam practice. It contains tips and tasks for you to work on once you have completed the course. Each module is subdivided into topics so that you can study the course in manageable chunks. Each of the main topics (excluding the consolidation topic at the end of each module) is set out as follows:

Read and Make Notes – this section includes the page references for reading and note-making from your textbooks.
Tasks – this section identifies activities and exercises that build on your textbook reading. They are designed to ensure you cover the requirements of the syllabus.
Case Studies – this section includes case studies which illustrate the practical application of some of the political processes, concepts, theories and issues you learn about on the course. Note that compulsory case studies that are part of the specification are included within the topic tasks. The larger-scale compulsory case studies of three General Elections (one from the period 1945–92, the 1997 election, and one since 1997) and two Prime Ministers (one from the period 1945-97 and one post-1997) are separate topics within the Programme of Study.
Wider Reading and Research – this section includes activities that will enhance your understanding of the topic. These will usually include additional videos and lectures, as well as web-based material. Activities here may involve researching an aspect of the topic in more depth. This section may also include material that is not specifically required in the syllabus, but serves to broaden your understanding of the topic.

At the end of each module there is a consolidation topic, designed for you to review, and reflect on, what you have learnt in this module. Each consolidation topic is set out as follows:

Review – this section encourages you to review your notes with reference to the relevant section of the syllabus.
Terminology – there is key terminology that you need to learn for each module. This section directs you to the relevant pages of the AS Politics glossary in the General Resources section.
Quiz – this is an opportunity to test your knowledge of the material in the module before you complete the assignment.
Assignment – see notes on this below.

How your work is Assessed

Your progress will be assessed by completing an assignment at the end of each module. We recommend that you do NOT look at the assignments until you've studied all the topics in the module. This will ensure that you focus on everything you need to know for the exam. If you focus only on what you need to know to do well in the assignment, you will miss important elements in each module that you need to know and understand.

The assignments have been designed to help you prepare for your final examination – many of the questions are based on past exam papers. Answering exam-style questions is crucial in developing your exam technique, understanding exactly what the examiner is looking for in each case and ensuring you are confident when you tackle the real exams. We do not expect you to complete your assignments without referring to your notes or textbook, however, we encourage you to rely less on these as you progress through the course. By your final assignment, you should be able to work without reference to any additional notes.

The assignments allow you to think critically about what you have learned and will enable your tutor to see how well you are progressing. Your tutor will mark your assignments and provide you with detailed feedback. Once you have had your marked assignment returned, you will be able to access the mark scheme and/or a specimen answer (an A-grade piece of work). You should always reflect carefully on your tutor’s feedback and apply it in your future assignments.

You should read the assignment questions carefully and answer them to the best of your ability, providing relevant examples where necessary. If you don’t do well in your first assignment, don’t worry; your tutor through their feedback is there to provide advice.

We ask that you do not submit multiple assignments at the same time. For you to see a steady improvement in your marks, it is very important that you reflect on your tutor’s feedback before beginning each new assignment, so that you can incorporate their tips for improvement into each new piece of work.

To get the best out of your course, before submitting each new assignment, you must:

Complete all the reading, notes and activities in the preceding module;
Read carefully through all of your tutor’s comments on your last assignment;
Use the mark scheme and/or any exemplar or specimen answers provided to help you plan for the next assignment.

We cannot guarantee that tutors will be able to mark multiple assignments within 3-5 days and your work may be returned to you to complete again in light of more recent feedback.

All assignments are submitted via Canvas – you should consult the Canvas Guide for more information.

Mock Exams

At the end of the course, you will complete a full set of AL Economics exam papers. These must be completed under examination conditions and will be marked by your tutor. They provide a good opportunity for you to test your subject knowledge and exam technique so you are well prepared for the examinations.

Here to Help

When you study a Wolsey Hall course, you are never alone. There are lots of people who are willing to help you. Everyone is on your side!

Tutors: At Wolsey Hall, all our tutors are friendly and knowledgeable. They are subject experts and you should not be shy about asking them questions about your course. You will meet your tutor via Skype and you should contact them if you have any questions.
Student Progress Managers: You have already been assigned a Student Progress Manager who can help with your assignment schedule.
Exams Officers: Wolsey Hall’s Exams Officers are here to help students with any queries regarding exam centres.
Canvas Help Desk: Canvas is a great virtual learning environment, but we understand that sometimes, even the best things can go wrong! If you have any problems with Canvas (e.g. uploading assignments or unable to access resources) you should submit a Canvas Help Ticket.

For information about how to create and submit a Help Ticket, please refer to the Canvas Guide.

We hope you’ll enjoy your course and studying at Wolsey Hall. We wish you the best of luck in your studies and success in your examinations. Please do let us know how you get on when you receive your examination results!

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