Politics
Politics enables students to gain an insight and understanding into the nature of politics, governance and ideologies
Mr M Poolton BA (Hons), MSc
Head of Politics
mpoolton@colfes.com
Politics is an exciting subject that has significance for all our lives in an ever-changing and increasingly diverse political landscape. It’s as much about compromise and conflict resolution as it is about strength of conviction.
At Colfe’s, A level Politics enables students to gain an insight and understanding into the nature of politics, governance and ideologies – linking theory to contemporary political developments. The ability to analyse and make draw comparisons between US and UK politics is explored through an in-depth study of:
- UK Politics and Political Ideas
- UK Government
- Comparative American Politics
While, there are no preconditions for studying it at A Level, students are expected to read widely and have an interest in current affairs. Methodologically, Politics is akin to subjects such as History, and, therefore good analytical and prose-based skills are essential for what is a challenging but thought-provoking course.
The department believes that Politics is not just an academic subject, but a practical one and students are strongly encouraged to get involved in campaigns, think tanks, parties and pressure groups from day one of the course. Each year there visits to the Houses of Parliament and the Supreme Court and we welcome speakers from a range of political backgrounds.
While many of our students go on to read Politics at university, the skills they develop facilitate progression onto a wide range of subject areas – for example PPE, Law, International Relations, Economics, History and Sociology. It is also very useful for those interested in careers in law, diplomacy, civil service, journalism and even business.
