LAW - learning journey & curriculum

law learning journey 12 13.pdf

In Law, all students gain an understanding of how the legal system works. They will also study the substantive law of criminal, tort and human rights. In Year 13 they will explore and discuss the big philosophically legal questions of law and morality, law and justice and the role of law in society. Additional A* reading is encouraged to broaden knowledge and stimulate discussion and we create opportunities for super-curricular activities such as a mock trial to put student learning into practice and ensure students can think, write and talk like a legal professional.

Materials and lessons are designed to be thought provoking and to encourage students to challenge their assumptions on the world around them.  In Law and Society, students learn about the role of the law and how they as citizens can bring about changes in the law. They are encouraged to keep abreast of current affairs and will be invited to make links between their study of Law and what is going on in the wider world. 

Studying law enables students to understand how law fits into everyday life and the impact it can have. In particular they find out how the political system works in the UK and the importance of taking part in elections. 

The course involves encouraging wider reading and involving all students in lessons gives them the opportunity to become more confident, creative, resilient and critical thinkers. 

The Law curriculum will inspire futures and transform lives as they will be taught about the legal profession in the UK and how it works.  Students learn about the different routes to becoming a solicitor or barrister and have the opportunity to visit courts to see the legal profession at work. 

The Law course at Cleeve encourages students to aspire to study Law at a higher level at university or via the new solicitors’ apprenticeships. Many will follow in the footsteps of Cleeve alumni and become the lawyers of the future. 

The curriculum enables students to talk like lawyers and leave with useful legal Latin in their vocabularies.  They will also be able to understand the differences between criminal and civil law with the different courts, terminology and standards of proof.  They will have had the opportunity to visit Parliament and walk along the corridors of power seeing first hand where laws are made.  A short walk will then take them to the UK Supreme Court where the 12 Justices are developing the Law at the highest level.  This is complimented by a visit to the Crown Court where they will have the chance to meet with the resident judge and listen to the experiences of an ex-prisoner. Students are then supported in taking their experiences and learning to write analytically and evaluate case law.

The Law lessons aim to develop student understanding of the law of England and Wales. Resources are planned and structured to be accessible to all. The course is split into six modules and students are provided with a module support booklet to help scaffold and draw out key learning- this particularly supports students with cognition and learning needs.  This is supplemented by additional A* reading and personalised learning revision booklets being uploaded to Teams.  For students who find it easier to access and organise their work on a laptop, all the resources and content for all lessons is made available to all students on Teams.  

The curriculum encourages discussion of the wider world beyond the classroom and helps students build on their life experiences so far.  Through discussion and listening to others they develop their understanding.  For example, they not only learn the theory of the Law but will have the opportunity to take part in a mock trial and visit the Crown Court

Law is a new subject only offered in the Sixth Form but parts of the course do encourage students to make links with the topics they will have discussed in their Life Skills lessons and helps them to appreciate there is a legal aspect to every aspect of life.  From the Education Acts that make schooling compulsory until the age of 16 through to the laws surrounding criminal matters such as theft and civil issues such as negligence.  

Lessons are planned following guidance from the exam board which starts with the English legal system and moves through the criminal law and civil law finishing with human rights law.  The final module of the course involves students being asked to apply the knowledge acquired over the two years and use it to illustrate their discussions of justice, morals and the role of law within society.