Know what is coming
SUBJECT OVERVIEW
SUBJECT:
Government & Politics
How many exams and /or controlled assessments will I sit in this subject?
There are 3 exams at the end of Y12, and 2 at the end of the second year of the Alevel. The AS exams at the end of year 12 = half of the A-level.
What do I have to do in each exam / assessment?
A combination of short answer and essay questions.
How long is each exam / assessment?
90 minutes each.
What are the most common pitfalls which prevent success in this subject?
There is a lot of content to remember, this means that leaving revision until the last few
weeks before the exams doesn’t work. Also, you need historic and current examples
from real world politics in your answers.
What are the best tasks and activities I can do to revise as I go along in this subject?
Consolidation tasks such as testing yourself, using the questions in the textbook,
mindmapping complex topics, and answering exam questions yourself.
What other advice is there which will help in order to avoid these pitfalls?
Your genuine and active interest in politics is the key. Success in this subject depends
on whether you genuinely want it enough to get out there and ‘do’ politics. Are you in a
mainstream party? Have you been to a conference? Do you read the papers? Do you
watch question time?