Board: OCR
Syllabus: AS Level (H124), A Level (H524)
About the subject
Law is an exciting subject providing the student with an opportunity to learn and explore their rights and duties in relation to each other and the state. There are trips to court e.g. the Royal Courts of Justice and the Supreme Court in London. We also visit Parliament and the London Dungeons. Visiting speakers such as the police and local magistrates also assist in student learning.
The subject teachers do not expect any prior knowledge, simply an ability to analyse key issues rather than accepting them at face value, a willingness to learn and an aptitude for essay-writing and problem-solving.
In AS Law students sit 2 exams: The first, English Legal System involves studying topics such as the court system, legal personnel, the police, sentencing and how to fund a legal action. The second unit, Sources of Law covers legislation, law reform and EU Law.
In A2, students can study Criminal Law and will sit 2 papers. The first unit covers offences against the person, (both fatal and non-fatal), property offences such as theft, attempted crime and defences to crimes. The second unit is a special study paper which is comprised of a series of cases and articles on a particular area of the law e.g. robbery or manslaughter. There may also be the opportunity to study Contract Law as an alternative to criminal law. This will depend on student numbers. Units for this subject involve the study of formation of a contract, breach of contract and consumer contracts.
Learning styles
Learning takes place via a range of methods including taking notes, group based activities, discussions, trips and visiting speakers, and student presentations. Emphasis is also placed on I.T as the Law department has its own well-resourced VLE with links to useful websites.
Subject Combinations and Progression
History, Politics, English, Psychology.
Many students progress onto university to read Law but you do not have to gain an AS or A Level in Law to read Law at university. The majority of universities do NOT perceive it as a disadvantage if a student has an A Level in Law. Research carried out in 2008 showed that only two institutions out of a total of 153 (who offer law degrees) said they advised against students taking Law at A level.
Subject Modules and Assessment
AS Law
Unit 1: English Legal System. 4 questions from a choice of 7. 60% of AS. (30% of A2)
Unit 2: Sources of Law. 1 question from a choice of 2. 40% of AS. (20% of A2)
A2 Law
Unit 1: Criminal Law / Contract Law. 3 questions from a choice of 8. 30% of A2.
Unit 2: Criminal / Contract Law Special Study. Candidates are required to answer all 3 questions. 20% of A2.
NO COURSEWORK - ALL EXAMS
Entry requirements
C in English Language