Law

AQA

Studying Law makes you think about just how many aspects of our life are governed by the legal system. Have you ever wondered who makes the laws, the difference between a barrister and a solicitor, what happens when a person is called for jury service, how to protect your rights if you get injured through someone’s negligence or are charged with a criminal offence? These questions and more will be answered when you study Law at Paston.

For Law you need an enquiring mind and to be able to absorb factual information. You will learn how to think logically and to break down arguments into their component parts – handy skills in whatever you choose to do in the future. You will learn through a combination of class teaching, individual and group based research activities, presentations and lots of tests! You can combine Law with a wide variety of humanities, business, language, social science and science subjects – there is no ‘ideal mix’. Law at Paston is very successful with a number of students gaining marks in the top 10 nationally. Many students go on to university to study a wide range of subjects including Law.

AS Law

In AS Law you will study:
• Law making – the role of Parliament, how judges interpret Acts of Parliament.
• Civil and Criminal courts.
• Lay people in the Law e.g. jurors and magistrates.
• The legal profession: barristers, solicitors, legal executives.
• The concept of liability – an introduction to criminal law and the law of negligence.

Assessment

Two written examinations comprising essays and problem-solving scenarios.

Entry requirements

A minimum of BBCCC at GCSE including English/English Language, and Mathematics or a science. A grade B in English is an advantage.

A2 Law

In A2 Law you will build on what you learned at AS and look in detail at:
• Contract Law.
• The Law of Tort.
• Concepts of Law including Law and justice, Law and morals, balancing conflicting interests, fault based liability and judicial creativity.

Assessment

Two written examinations comprising essays and problem-solving scenarios.