Assessment objectives and synoptic skills Revision Notes

Knowledge & Understanding

• Political institutions: Parliament, Executive, Judiciary, Electoral systems.
• Key concepts: democracy, sovereignty, legitimacy, accountability.
• Theories: liberalism, Marxism, realism, constructivism.
• Current issues: Brexit, climate policy, immigration.

Analysis

• Compare and contrast Westminster system with US federal system.
• Identify similarities and differences in party systems and electoral rules.
• Use case studies: 2016 EU referendum vs 2020 US election.

Evaluation

• Assess strengths and weaknesses of proportional representation versus first‑past‑the‑post.
• Evaluate the impact of media on political participation.
• Construct arguments for and against centralised versus devolved power.

Synoptic Skills

• Connect constitutional theory to contemporary policy debates.
• Draw parallels between domestic and international political developments.
• Use political vocabulary consistently.

Cross‑system Comparisons

• UK: parliamentary sovereignty, collective responsibility.
• US: separation of powers, checks and balances.
• Highlight how these structures shape policy outcomes.