admissions@clfs.surrey.sch.uk
01372 277933
City of London Freemen's School
Ashtead Park
Surrey
KT21 1ET
There are many ways to describe what Government and Politics means as an academic subject. One explanation of the discipline is to see it as the study of the mostly peaceful methods by which struggles over the finite resources within a society can be allocated or used. Expressions of this are seen in all societies but a graphic description of what this means was described in the article written by Jonathan Freedland in The Guardian the morning after the 2010 United Kingdom General Election.
In the piece Freedland wrote: "The mother of parliaments was showing her age as election day turned into the morning after. In the midnight hour, as the uncertainty of the election result deepened, every aspect of the antique political system seemed to be creaking under strain.
The loudest screech came from a constitutional setup that, it suddenly became clear, was not so much stuck in the 19th century as the medieval era… the casting vote is ultimately held by an unelected monarch. Also, the first past the post system, defended so stoutly by Cameron in recent weeks, revealed its age and rust. Those who had seen the Lib Dems surge during the campaign, sometimes edging Labour into second place in the polls, will have gasped when they absorbed the 10pm exit poll that predicted they would lose, rather than gain, seats…
The importance of a handful of seats was magnified as Labour ministers lined up to profess their willingness to form a coalition with the Lib Dems…"
This article suggests a number of questions about UK Government and Politics. What is a constitution, how does the uncodified British version work and is it in need of reform? How are votes in Britain undertaken and why seemingly do General Elections provoke uncertainty and fail to reflect public opinion? Is it possible for political parties, who traditionally espoused very different ideological principles to work together in a government? The 2010 General Election was remarkable in inspiring so many questions and for resulting in a peace-time coalition government. Government and Politics as a discipline aims to answer the questions above and allow its students to look beyond the headlines at the structures and ideas behind the events that shape our lives.
Curriculum
At AS Level, students study Politics in the UK: the Westminster system, the nature of British democracy, the effectiveness of Parliament, the role of parties and pressure groups, the judiciary and executive.
At A2 Level the course covers political ideologies: conservatism, liberalism, socialism, anarchism, feminism, environmentalism, multiculturalism and anarchism. Whilst the exam specifications are fully and thoroughly addressed they are not considered to be an end in themselves with teaching and discussion ranging far beyond these topics and potential limitations.
One of the most common questions facing the department is ‘What is Sociology’. In an attempt to answer this question one can consider the works of 19th century French philosopher Auguste Comte. This pioneering philosopher stated that Sociology was the master discipline; it could both understand and direct society.
How can it help us understand society? Sociology looks at the social structures and the way in which they influence our lives. Why is it that a girl from a middle class background may achieve more than a working class boy? Could it be due to school influences or is the family background more important? What control does the mass media have over our lives? Is power evenly distributed in society or is it the held by and protected by the elite? A range of sociologists from different theoretical backgrounds aim to study these questions, and many more, to give a picture of how society operates. Nearly everything you do in your life is as a result of the social structures and processes around you, events in your life don’t just happen but are shaped by the very range of factors we study in Sociology.
How can it help us direct society? The work of sociologists has a huge bearing on the policies that our governments implement. The Labour government identified that there were low numbers of working class children taking up university places and were keen to alter this trend. In order to ensure that more children from working class backgrounds go to university a government must first understand why these children don’t already go to university. This is where the work of a Sociologist is paramount. They can help to unearth the barriers that a working class child may encounter (which are wide ranging) and suggest to the government ways in which these barriers may be overcome. Sociologists therefore have a huge role in moving society forward.
Without wanting to incur the wrath of Margaret Thatcher, there is such a thing as society and without Sociology and sociologists we would never understand the social world we live in or how we can take it forward.
Curriculum
The Sociology GCSE has benefitted from a change of curriculum with more consideration being given to the most prominent topics and a restructuring of the examination.
Students now study two units which are examined separately. In Unit One, students will study the very basics of what Sociology is before moving onto the Family and finally Education.
In Unit Two, attention turns to Crime and Deviance, Power, Mass Media, and Social Differentiation.
Sociology is an excellent choice of subject for those with an interest in social science and who may be considering Politics, Psychology, or Economics at A Level. It draws on the skills that will be particularly common to students through their studies in History and English.
Students are encouraged by the nature of the disciplines to follow the issues discussed in class beyond school. The Department has organised visits to a meeting of the local pressure group NO2ID which saw a number of local MPs, including Chris Grayling, quizzed on their views regarding civil liberties. There is an annual visit to the Palace of Westminster and trips to lectures on issues of interest whenever possible.
The Batchelor Society
The Batchelor Society, named after the long-standing Head of History at Freemen’s, is the extra-curricular group connected to the Department of History, Politics and Sociology. The topics looked at in talks, debates and films are mainly historical but also feature contemporary issues.
Latest News
Killjoys can't ruin the fun as Batchelors get quizzical
At lunchtime on Tuesday 13th December 12 teams competed in the Batchelor Society's Christmas Quiz. The Haywood Centre was filled with around 90 students and staff tackling questions with a historical theme relating to such topics as Geography, Art and Biology. The winners, with a superb 43/50 were staff team 'The Killjoys' but the plaudits really went to the Upper 6 team 'History and Oxford' who won from the student body with 34/50. Mr Wright, Mrs Edwards and Mrs Joss would like to thank all those who came along and particularly the army of markers without whom the event would not have worked.
Pupils mad for the Batchelor Society
The Batchelor Society met on Tuesday 4th October with Upper 6 student Rebecca Howe giving a talk on Joanna 'the Mad'. Joanna suffered from the perception that she was insane for large periods of her life, but Rebecca lucidly explained how those that propagated this idea used it to advance their own agendas. Rebecca also suggested how ideas of madness are often relative and that 16th Century attitudes to insanity were rather different from our own. 30 students and staff were in attendance and Mrs Edwards and Mr Wright hope that many other students will be keen to follow Rebecca's example and take the lead in such a session in the future.
Freemen's takes Politics to Westminster
The History, Politics and Sociology Department visited the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday 28th September. The group of Lower 6 politics students basked in the sunshine on the banks of the Thames before enjoying a tour of Parliament ending in the historic Westminster Hall. The group then went to Portcullis House and grilled the Conservative MP for Somerset North Jacob Rees-Mogg. The session saw the MP strongly defend his views from a right-wing ideological perspective and few could accuse him of populism as he supported student tuition fees amongst other such challenging policies. The students left Westminster with a greater understanding of the business of Parliament and the work of MPs within Britain’s democracy.
Academic Results
In 2011:
Government and Politics
At A2 Level seven pupils were entered. One attained a grade A*, two attained a grade A, one attained a grade B, two attained a grade C and one attained a grade D.
At AS Level three pupils were entered. Two attained grade A and one attained grade B.
Sociology
At GCSE Level 20 pupils were entered. Six attained grade A*, eight attained grade A, four attained a grade B, and two attained a grade C. 70% of Sociology GCSE candidates gained an A* or an A.
University study
Five students have gone on to study Politics or Sociology at university: Elena Artamonova, Sociology at Roehampton, Lewis Main, Politics at Nottingham, Ben Reavley Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford, Henry Swindell, Philosophy and Political Economy at Exeter, and Eloise Wilkinson, Politics and Sociology at Leeds.
In 2010:
Government and Politics
At A2 Level seven pupils were entered. Five attained a grade A, and two attained a grade C. Therefore 71.4% of students gained an A*, A or B.
Six students have gone on to study Politics or related disciplines at University, Patrick Anderson at Cardiff, Natalie Clement at Loughborough, Mikaela Eldridge in Sydney, Oliver Raggett at Sheffield (2011 entry), Jamie Ray at Bristol, and Alexander Wright at Southampton.
At AS Level eight pupils were entered. Four attained grade A, one attained grade B, two attained grade C and one attained a grade D.
Sociology
At GCSE Level 14 pupils were entered. One attained grade A*, six attained grade A, five attained a grade B, and two attained a grade C. 50% of Sociology GCSE candidates gained an A* or an A.
Staff in the Department
Alexander Wright. I am the Head of History, Politics and Sociology, and I teach History throughout the School and Politics in the Sixth Form. I attended Berkhamsted School in Hertfordshire and took a degree in Modern History at Mansfield College, Oxford. After my PGCE at Bristol University, I spent five years at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford where I taught History and Politics, whilst coaching Rugby, Cricket and most remarkably Hockey. I arrived at CLFS in 2008 as Head of History and took on the role of Head of Politics and Sociology in 2009. Between 2007 and 2009 I took an MA in Imperialism and Postcolonial Studies part-time at Birkbeck College, University of London. My interests include walking, reading and, to my wife’s continuing despair, pretty much any sport on television.
James Brooke. I teach Politics, Sociology, and History throughout the Senior School. I am also involved with rugby and cricket in the respective seasons. In addition to this I work in the boys’ boarding house. I attended the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle where I developed my interest in social science. This led me onto Newcastle University where I specialised in Politics. With the promise of a warmer climate I eventually began the move south via Staffordshire and a PGCE in Social Science where I specialised in the teaching of Politics, Sociology, and History. I arrived at CLFS in 2009 and have thoroughly enjoyed my first year here. My main academic interests are in the history of political ideologies and cultural investigations. Other areas of interest include any sporting related activities and in particular Newcastle United and the England cricket team.
Bryan Lewis. I teach History to Upper 3, Lower 4 and Upper 4 as well as delivering Politics at AS level. I am also the master in charge of Boys Boarding and Fencing. I joined the School in September 1998 to run the Boys Boarding House and teach Politics, History and Games. I have been in teaching for 35 years after graduating from Jesus College, Oxford, where I also won a full Blue. I have taught at Millfield, Brentwood, Hurtwood House as well as at CLFS. I have fenced internationally for 20 years at the highest levels and in addition I played cricket at county junior and premier league levels and also some very competitive golf.
