Table of Contents
TLDR
During UK Parliament Week, A level Politics students explored the theme of UK sovereignty and had a chance to engage in activities outside of their usual programme of study. This included a live webinar with members of the House of Lords, covering a range of themes and ideal for A level Politics students preparing for their Paper 2 exams. For NEC A level Politics students a live Masterclass focussed on a question from A level Politics Paper 2, ‘Evaluate the view that Parliament is no longer sovereign in the UK’ (30 marks)’ and covered themes featured in the webinar.
UK Sovereignty and A level Politics: Marking UK Parliament Week
UK Parliament Week in the last week of November was a chance for Politics students to explore UK sovereignty, deepen their understanding of constitutional reform, and to engage in some activities outside of their usual programme of study.
Constitutional Reform Act 2005: Twenty Years of Change
It is 20 years since the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 significantly reformed the judiciary by separating the highest court from the House of Lords and creating the Supreme Court.
It also reformed the role of Lord Chancellor and established the Judicial Appointments Commission to ensure appointments are based on merit, thereby strengthening judicial independence.
How Constitutional Reform has Evolved Across the UK: Devolution and Brexit Changes
Since then, constitutional reform has progressed with the strengthening of devolution in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the extension of power to regional mayors in England.
There has been a referendum on changing the voting system for Westminster elections, perhaps the biggest constitutional change in modern times, Brexit, and current debate focusing on the UK’s membership of the ECHR.
How Students Engaged with UK Parliament Week 2025 Activities
With so much change in the past 20 years, there is much for the Politics student to learn and apply.
The Parliament Week live webinar with members of the House of Lords provided an opportunity for students to hear the perspectives of four members of the House of Lords and pose questions to the panel. The webinar covered themes such as:
- the legal and political sovereignty of parliament
- the powers of the respective houses of parliament
- executive dominance
- the role of backbenchers
- the separation and fusion of powers in the UK
- the impact of the HRA on sovereignty
- codification of the constitution
- diversity of the House of Lords.
Preparing for A level Politics Paper 2: Insights from the Webinar
All in all it was a fantastic opportunity for students to review many of the key themes of their UK Government study and a highly recommended viewing for those preparing for A level Politics Paper 2 exams. If you missed the live stream, you can catch up here: https://www.youtube.com/live/V3vYV1lM_4s
How NEC’s A level Politics Masterclass Built on the UK Parliament Week Webinar – Parliamentary Sovereignty Essay
To complement the panel event, NEC hosted a live Masterclass focusing on the question: ‘Evaluate the view that Parliament is no longer sovereign in the UK’ (30 marks)’.
This A level Politics Paper 2 essay question covered many of the themes covered in the UK Parliament Week webinar and also compliments the Assignment 3 questions for NEC students studying our A level Politics course.
A Valuable Learning Experience for NEC’s A level Politics Students
It was fantastic to have the opportunity to work with some of our A level Politics students to put together an essay plan for this question. Students displayed an impressive range of knowledge and were able to share some fantastic examples to add precise detail to our plan.
The Masterclass considered both essay and paragraph technique, as well as the relevant course content. It was a chance to look at what makes a great introduction and conclusion for an A level Politics essay and share insights into what an examiner is looking for.
Thank you to the students who took part.
Sarah Brown
Sarah has been teaching Politics and History for over a decade, from Key Stage 3 to 5. More recently, she has specialised in Key Stage 5, teaching in a sixth form college and tutoring for NEC.
Sarah is NEC subject ambassador for politics, she says:
“I love my subjects and how they connect. The dynamic nature of A level Politics makes it a fun and engaging subject to teach, with no academic year quite the same. I enjoy encouraging students to explore, challenge and evaluate issues and ideas.
“A level Politics is also a fantastic foundation for further study, not just because of the broader perspective it gives students but also because of the huge range of skills it fosters from critical thinking, analysis and debate, through to a well reasoned written evaluation.”
Conclusion: Strengthen Your Understanding of UK Politics
If you’re studying A level Politics or preparing for Politics Paper 2, events like UK Parliament Week and NEC’s online Masterclasses offer invaluable opportunities to strengthen your understanding of UK politics and the role of parliament.
The chance to take part in a Masterclass is just one of the opportunities available to students enrolled on NEC’s A level and GCSE courses. Visit our website to find out more, or get in touch with our advisors. We’ll be happy to tell you more.