Government & Politics - a Beacon Department

Paul Morse (right) has taught economics at Henley since 1992. Paul teaches on AS, A2 and a growing number of students following the IB units at both Higher and Standard levels. He has previously taught Economics on the degree course at what was then Manchester Polytechnic.

He is very enthusiastic about the subject and transmits this enthusiasm to his students. An important feature of his lessons is to emphasise the changing nature of the subject and to invite student opinion on the validity of the various theories covered.

In addition to Economics he also teaches Quantitative Techniques on the Business Higher National Diploma together with various units on the National Diploma.

Julian Pandya (left), BA (Economics) and MA (European Studies), has taught A Level Economics for over thirty years and A Level Politics for nearly twenty years at secondary schools and, more recently, at The HENLEY College. Over the past ten years, he has been an examiner with Edexcel in Government and Politics at AS and A2 Levels. He is particularly interested in current political and economic affairs and provides an enrichment course in current affairs at the College.

Sharing Success: Opportunities to share good practice among members of the teaching profession.

IMPROVING PERFORMANCE IN AS & A2 EXAMINATIONS IN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS.
October 2005

Sessions for students and teachers engaged with AS and A Level Government and Politics.

Review of AS and A2 examination papers in Government and Politics for June 2005. Session conducted by Julian Pandya, AS and A2 Examiner with Edexcel.

Boris Johnson MP agreed to take part in a question and answer session with students and staff on some of the main elements of the AS/A2 Specifications in Government and Politics. The session focussed on the following issues:

(a) divisions between and within the main political parties in the UK;
(b) powers and reforms of Government and Parliament in the UK;
(c) balance between measures to combat terrorism and the protection of civil liberties;
(d) means of improving standards in education and health care;
(e) future development of the European Union.

KEYS TO SUCCESS AT A2 & AS LEVELS IN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS AND ECONOMICS
May 2005

The sessions were designed primarily for students studying AS and/or A2 Government and Politics, and Economics, and teachers of these subjects. Direct references were made to specific AS and A2 questions, so that students became more aware of the relevance and importance of the exercise.

The sessions aimed to:

1) make students more aware of the knowledge and skills they need to acquire in order to be more successful in their examinations in these subjects. Special emphasis was placed on the importance of the skills of analysis and evaluation.
2) provide students with advice and information on ways of providing evidence to support their arguments in answers to examination questions. Particular attention was paid to the use of websites.