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 work place.  

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. 

Students will not only develop their knowledge of the law in England, but also explore the changing nature of law and its connection with morals and justice. These themes of justice and morality running through different legal institutions will encourage students to critically evaluate various aspects of criminal, civil and contract law and how they protect the rights and interests of ordinary citizens.  

A Level Law ensures a knowledge-based curriculum that will expand students’ vocabulary and knowledge of legal terminology. Through frequent debates students have the opportunity to question and challenge current laws and how they balance different and often conflicting interests. Studying Law enables students to dispel myths that sometimes persist in a society and makes them more aware of current affairs thus making them more confident and ultimately better citizens.    

The Law teacher is extremely proud of our students’ progress and attainment in this subject. In the past three years all students but one achieved or exceeded their predicted grade and the value added has been around 1 or above. All students work very hard and take every opportunity to deepen their knowledge by attending supervised study sessions or additional revision sessions that are teacher/student led. Formal internal exams in each paper offer students the opportunity to practice exam questions in timed conditions and inform the teacher of their progress. Individual support is offered if needed.  Law complements the rest of the A Level curriculum at Central Academy with subjects such as Politics, Criminology, History and English.