Law

Intent

At Richard Rose Central Academy, the Law teacher’s mission is to provide students with an understanding of the English Legal System and specific areas of criminal, contract and civil law. Studying Law enables students to develop independent thinking and learning skills and take a critical approach to assessing how laws are made and applied. Engaging students in debates provides many opportunities for developing excellent oracy skills. The A-level Law course is interesting and widens students’ appreciation of what values our society holds dear; it teaches students that there is always more than just one point of view; it develops deeper understanding of why some people break the law and that the causes of crime are much more complex. The curriculum provides opportunities for better understanding of others, compassion and empathy; the attributes that are valued in every citizen.   

The curriculum is underpinned by the AQA A-Level Law specification. This is a solely examined subject and detailed schemes of work allow students to prepare well for these exams and ultimately higher education or the workplace.  

A-Level Law is a linear course, meaning that all three external exams are at the end of the second year. The structure of the exam papers enables students to show their breadth of knowledge and understanding of legal principles. Through a mixture of question types including multiple-choice, short answer and extended response questions students have the opportunity to show their mastery knowledge and much higher analytical and application skills. Critical thinking as well as good essay writing skills are part of the curriculum for each topic covered. All students are offered additional educational opportunities through visits to the local crown court and attendance of masterclasses offered by the University of Cumbria. These opportunities enable students to observe the law in action and participate in simulated trials thus giving them a taste of what a legal professional would be expected to do. Some of our students choose to take up Law at university after successfully completing their A Levels, although Law is also a useful background for many diverse careers such as Business, Journalism, Sociology or Politics. 

Curriculum Map