This course is designed to encourage students to develop their knowledge and understanding of how our law is made, how our legal system operates and the fundamentals behind both criminal and civil liability. Students will also gain an understanding of legal method and reasoning, develop techniques of logical reasoning and analytical skills, and solve problems by applying legal rules.
Students will sit three papers at the end of the two years:
Paper 1 (2 hours) a written exam – 33.3%- The Legal System and Criminal Law
Paper 2 (2 hours) a written exam – 33.3%- Law Making and Tort
Paper 3 (2 hours) a written exam – 33.3%- The Nature of Law and Contract
The Legal System and Criminal Law:
2 hour exam includes;1 x 8 mark question; 1 x 12 mark question; 3 x 20 mark questions
This unit involves looking at how our legal system works, who works within it and their roles, and how criminals are punished for their crimes. In this unit, we also learn how guilt in a criminal case is established and study a range of criminal offences from assault to murder and many in between!
Law Making and Tort:
2 hour exam includes;1 x 8 mark question; 1 x 12 mark question; 3 x 20 mark questions
This unit focuses on how our law is made and by whom. We look at the different law makers ranging from Parliament to judges and the processes they use for making and changing our law. This unit also explores the rules and principles concerning liability in civil law, including how to establish negligence, occupier’s liability, nuisance and vicarious liability.
The Nature of Law and Contract:
2 hour exam includes; 4 x 20 mark questions
This unit delves in to major themes such as how, and if, morals affect and shape our law and whether they should do so; whether our law is, and should be just; how technology is impacting our law and much more! Also in this unit, we study the law surrounding making and breaking contracts and what our rights and remedies are as citizens.
Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 |
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Introduction to Law
P1: Elements of the Legal System – Civil Courts and ADR P2: Law-Making – Parliamentary Law making P2: Law-Making – Delegated Legislation | P1: Elements of the Legal System – Criminal Courts
P1: The Legal System – Sentencing P2: Law-Making – Judicial Precedent P2: Law-Making – Statutory Interpretation | P1: The Legal System – Lay people (Juries)
P1: The Legal System – Lay People (Magistrates) P2: Law-Making – Law Reform P2: Tort Law – Introduction
| P1: Access to Justice
P1: Criminal Law – Introduction P2: Tort Law – Negligence P2: Tort Law – Occupiers’ Liability | P2: Tort Law – Theory of rules
P2: Tort Law -Remedies P1 – Criminal Law – Actus/Mens Rea P1: Criminal Law – Non-fatal offences | P1: Criminal Law
P2: Tort Law P3: Law and Morals |
Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 |
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Re-cap over P1/P2 topics
P3: The Nature of Law – Law and Morality P3: The Nature of Law – Law and Morality P3: Contract Law – Offer and Acceptance
| P3: Nature of Law – Law and Justice
P3: Nature of Law- Law and Society
P3: Contract Law – Intention P3: Contract Law: Express/implied Terms 1 P3:Exclusion/limitation clauses | P3: Nature of Law – Law and Technology
P3: Contract Law: Mitigating Factors P3: Contract Law: Discharge P3: Contract Law: Remedies
| P1: Criminal Law – Revision
P1: Criminal Law – Revision P2: Tort Law – Revision
P2: Tort Law – Revision | P3: Criminal Law – Revision
P3: Criminal Law – Revision P3: Tort Law – Revision P3: Tort Law – Revision | Examinations |
The study of law provides a strong and useful base for the further study of law at degree level. It also enables you to gain skills (analysis, critical thinking, reasoning) which would be of benefit in many other degrees. Studying Law at A level will show an employer that you can think independently and ‘on your feet’.
British Values feature in many aspects of the course that we deliver within the Law curriculum. As such, these themes appear in many topics that are studied throughout the course. As part of our A-level course, all aspects of the Legal System, how the laws of our country are made, Criminal Law and The Nature of Law cover in some depth the British values as well as the importance of these laws in determining British liberties and freedoms. The role of legislation and regulation is taught within all topics and referred to in lessons regularly by examining the impact these have on specific criminal/civil law and society as a whole.
In particular, students examine how governments can use punishment through fines etc., rules, guidelines, constraints to change the behaviour of society, e.g. minimum wage, compulsory taxes, smoking in public, wearing seatbelts/crash helmets etc. Students develop an understanding of what laws they need to follow in order to behave in an ethical manner, especially in their A2 year studying Law and Morality. When students study The Nature of Law, Contract Law and Tort Law, they analyse the impact of mutual respect, tolerance and fairness which society as a whole must abide by. They study the impact this could have on people’s lives and their reputation. The A-level curriculum leads to discussions on how different ethnic groups and religious beliefs help contribute to the overall success of the way in which the UK is run, which are key to students understanding of how every individual has a place in current society. In A-level, students examine political and legal environments which helps them to understand the effects UK and EU law can have on the English Legal System. Students learn about the impact of not following these EU and UK laws and the impact this has on the decision made in Court.