Curriculum Intent
Law is the endeavour to govern, social, economic, and political relationships through the application of laws and rules. To study law is to study the nature of those relationships. Studying Law gives students an understanding of the role of Law in our society and raises awareness of their rights and responsibilities of individuals.
The curriculum design is underpinned by the Eduqas A-Level Law specification. Although, as an examined subject, we are driven by exam board specifications to a certain extent, the Law department relates the concepts being taught directly to the needs of learners we serve in the community using a range of teaching and learning strategies and everyday examples to enhance understanding. Schemes of work are detailed, with engaging resources and designed to encourage and prepare students for studying in Higher Education or via the apprenticeship route. We aim to create opportunities for all learners, irrespective of their starting points. To enhance our student understanding we offer study trips for students in year 12 we visit Shrewsbury Prison, and the local Crown and/or Magistrate Court and in year 13 we offer a trip to the International Criminal Court, these are offered to provide students with an opportunity to develop a better understanding of how the law is used and applied in practice not just in the UK but also in a wider framework. This, in turn, not only helps students to achieve highly within the subject, but it also raises their awareness of the controversial and debated issues.
The law department has elected to deliver this A-Level as a linear course, meaning that there are no external exams until the end of the second year. The reasoning behind this was due to the thought that some students may face difficulties with learning small areas of each area of law before building on those area again in year 13. The structure of exams for the A-level, enables students to show their breadth of knowledge and understanding of legal issues through a simple and straightforward layout of short answer and extended response questions. Essay writing and exam practice (alongside the development of analytical ability, decision making, critical thinking and problem-solving skills) for each of the questions is built into the curriculum for each topic covered to provide students with a sound knowledge of what is expected of them for each type of question from the very start of the course.
Within A-Level Law there are three mandatory topics of study: English Legal System, Criminal Law and, Tort Law. The third paper is optional, with a choice being given to providers between Contract Law or Human Rights Law. The Law department has chosen to deliver the Contract Law option because, not only is it a more logical and strategic branch of Law (making it easier for students to follow and apply), it is also a mandatory area studied as part of a qualifying LLB Law degree. With many of our students opting to study Law at university, this then provides them with a sound basis for that future study.
Overall, the study of Law provides learners with comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the rules that our society must abide by, as well as ensuring that they are capable of forming well-reasoned arguments based on precedented law. Whether or not students choose to pursue Law as a discipline at university, they are provided with skills highly sought after by both higher education providers and employers alike.
students and parents
Curriculum Overviews
To find out more about how our curriculum is implemented you can click on our curriculum overviews