Curriculum Intent
Law underpins the smooth running of our society and culture from birth to marriage to death and beyond. The Law curriculum, and the way it is designed and delivered, enables our students to understand what is going on in the world, with the interaction between law, morals, justice and society and helps them to break it down so that they can make sense of it.
Our aim in Law, is to inspire and challenge our students to ensure that they all strive for excellence and thus fulfil their potential. We aim to cultivate a love of the subject that propels students towards a future interest in the law. We aim to provide our students with legal knowledge and understanding of the English legal system, legal concepts and substantive areas of law including criminal, tort and contract law, that they can wield in their future study of law and other subjects.
Students will also develop essential transferable key skills which will widen their intellectual horizons by enabling them to progress to most degree courses, apprenticeships or careers. These include problem solving, analysis, critical thinking and reasoning skills. Through the support given, students will also develop resilience, empathy and a strong social conscience, thus helping to develop creative, empowered young people who are able to participate confidently and successfully in society.
Students will learn to think rationally and logically and will be able to apply these skills to their written work to compose high quality, succinct and accurate answers, as well as being able to apply legal authority to scenarios. Emphasis is also placed on debate and oral rehearsal of opinions and ideas through discussions, which are an integral part of the curriculum. This enables students to develop their reasoning skills so that they are able to confidently articulate their own opinions and interrogate arguments to question and evaluate the answers they receive or generate effectively. They will thus be able to gain academic success and enter the world of higher education or work with the necessary communication and literacy skills to enable them to thrive in an increasingly competitive world.
Law Learning Journey
Course Overview
A robust legal system is the foundation of a fair society.
If you feel strongly about concepts like justice and equality then this course could be rewarding for you.
You might see yourself in a career involving the criminal or civil justice system. Alternatively, you might want to choose law because it is a fascinating course which will help you to develop transferable skills such as analysis, evaluation and problem solving.
As you progress, you will learn about sources of law such as judicial precedent and legislation and about the operation of criminal law, including non-fatal offences against the person and those which are fatal such as murder and manslaughter. In addition, you will develop an understanding of tort and contract law. You will be able to apply your knowledge to fictional scenarios and thus decide whether a person would be guilty or liable in a ‘real – life’ situation.
The course is mainly classroom based although you will have the opportunity to see the law in action through a visit to a court. You will create and deliver presentations, and work in pairs and teams to resolve problems, thus enriching the taught input.
The course is assessed through three two-hour external written examinations in June of year 13, which will include problem-solving scenario-based questions along with other essay questions.
Many former students have gone on to a range of careers including the police, social work, local government, the civil service, accountancy, insurance, business, banking, and teaching. Many have entered the legal profession as solicitors or barristers following a degree in Law. It is a very popular subject and at English Martyrs the results are well above the national average.
Entry Requirements
The course is academically demanding as students must be able to construct high quality essays in which they apply and critically evaluate legal rules and concepts.
Students will require at least 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above which must include English Language.