A-Level Law
Sandbach College
Why study this course?
Studying Law enables you to develop a range of skills and explore some important aspects of human behaviour and thinking, as well as the relevance of law in everyday life. It will help to sharpen your mind, broaden your understanding of current affairs, and extend your knowledge of the state structures and institutions that shape and influence life under the UK law and the English legal system.
Studying Law should appeal to those with an enquiring mind, who want to develop both abstract thinking and practical problem solving. The study of Law at A level will introduce you to the kind of aptitudes required by a lawyer, and which lay a good foundation for other careers, which demand the intellectual strength to access, process and assess new information, combined with a practical and logical approach to factual challenges.
Sandbach College at Sandbach High School Entry Requirements
We ask that all students achieve grade 4 or equivalent (a Level 2 pass) in at least 4 subjects, alongside the following subject specific entry requirements:
- Grade 5 in GCSE English
What will I learn on this course?
The syllabus content and specific topics will be structured around the following areas:
- The nature of law and the English legal system
- Private law (civil law)
- Public law (criminal law)
- Human Rights (ethical and moral issues)
Therefore, you will study the role of Law in society and the process by which laws are made. You will gain an insight into the sources of Law and the influences that operate on Parliament, including contemporary examples of the impact of pressure groups, the media and events, and the Law Commission. You will consider how laws are interpreted and applied by judges, and how civil disputes are settled in the courts and through alternatives to litigation. You will gain an insight into the work of legal personnel, including the judiciary, barristers and solicitors, as well as the contribution of lay people (magistrates and jury). This will be studied alongside access to justice and funding.
Examinations & Coursework
There are three 2-hour exams that assess the components of the course which cover the nature of law and the English legal system; criminal Law; tort law and human rights.
Potential career paths
After completing the course, learners may consider studying a range undergraduate degree programmes focused on Law, Criminology, Policing and Criminal Justice. Alternatively, the qualification allows learners to gain the required understanding and skills to be able to consider employment within some aspects of the criminal justice system, e.g. law practice, the National Probation Service, the Courts and Tribunals service or the National Offender Management service.
Enrichment opportunities
Each year we invite guest speakers in who work in the field of related to law to speak to students about their job and how students’ subject knowledge can be applied to the real world. We take students to London to visit the Houses of Parliament. We also run a true-life conference, where we invite ex-offenders in to talk to students about their criminal behaviour and rehabilitation. There is the opportunity to be involved in a Forensics Dad to see how a case moves from crime scene to courtroom. We also visit Chester Crown Court where students witness a trial taking place. You also have the opportunity to get involved in the Bar Mock Trial Court Competition as a member of the profession or a witness.