You will explore how the legal system works, which will include how laws are made, how judges apply them in court; and what factors are considered when punishing those who break the law.  You will also analyse problems with this system and the issues that can arise.  

You will gain a detailed knowledge of specific areas of English Law.  You will be able to determine if someone is likely to be found guilty of crimes such as murder and manslaughter; discuss if someone has negligently injured another or damaged their property; consider if valid contracts exist and what remedies can be sought if there is a breach.  You will also consider broader issues such as whether the law is truly based on ideas such as justice or morality.

Since 2017, the course has become linear, meaning it is assessed after the full two years.

The exam papers include:

Paper 1:  The role of different courts in the English legal system as well as the people involved in these such as juries and magistrates.  Paper 1 also involves analysis of crimes such as the fatal and non-fatal offences, property offences, and possible defences, such as self-defence and consent. 

Paper 2:  How laws can be made and who makes them.  Paper 2 also involves the law of tort - covering situations like negligence, nuisance disputes between neighbours, occupier’s liability and vicarious liability.

Paper 3:  What is the purpose of the law?  Is it to provide justice?  To enforce morality?  To control society?  Or is there some other purpose?  Paper 3 also involves discussing contract law.  This includes the problems with forming a contract, the terms in a contract and whether that contract can be discharged.

You will experience a variety of approaches to your study of law.  You might be asked to prepare a defence for someone accused of murder or to give presentations of the defence or claimant’s argument in a negligence case.  You will consider legal cases from the standpoint of a jury determining guilt or innocence and consider what sentence you might impose on an offender, providing reasons for your decision.  You will be expected to read and discuss case law, both recent and from the past and statute law.

There will be many debates on topics such as whether law and justice are the same thing and whether laws are keeping up with advances in technology.  You will be encouraged to read a reputable newspaper and bring to the lesson any interesting legal articles for discussion.  

You will take formal external exams at the end of the second year that will determine your overall A level grade.  Assessment is ongoing throughout the course.  This is to ensure that you are progressing well and that we are able to help you if you encounter difficulties.  

• Pathways to Law two year scheme: this provides invaluable opportunities, for example; to attend law lectures at universities, participate in debates and mock trials with undergraduates, meet with judges, barristers and solicitors and legal work experience is guaranteed (Pathways normally look for students with a high GCSE profile);
• National Bar Mock Trial competition: this offers a wonderful opportunity for students to prepare and present cases before a real judge in a real courtroom and although it is challenging in time, effort and content, students find it very rewarding;
• A-Level: A comprehensive learning plan to push students beyond their classroom learning, and to guide their consolidation, revision and preparation during their independent study time.
• BTEC: A comprehensive independent learning plan contains a vast range of resources to enrich learning beyond the curriculum. This includes articles and solicitor reviews of the law, as well as educational video clips and more. These resources link directly to what students learn on the course as well as their experiences in the College's Tutorial programme (but with a legal focus) - such as cybersecurity and Black History Month;
• During coursework units, students must independently research aspects of our legal system by engaging with a wide range of resources. Students must be able to demonstrate a deep understanding of the material they use in their writing in order to achieve a Distinction grade.
• LNAT (Law National Aptitude Test) workshops every year to prepare those students students applying to universities that require the test;
• Focussed input from teachers regarding top universities for law, top non-Russell Group universities for law, and top law firms offering degree-apprenticeships;
• Students are encouraged to make use of their local courts - Magistrates, Crown, and County Courts offer the opportunity to sit in the courtrooms for free, as well as being able to 'marshal' judges or shadow court clerks and officers;
• Students are encouraged to "look beyond the law firm" - gaining work experience in law firms can be challenging, so students should explore quasi-legal organisations like the Citizens Advice Bureau, or enquire to the "in house" legal teams of larger business such as ASDA and BMW;
• The student-led Law Society offers the opportunity to debate and challenge one another on the legal issues of the day;
• External speakers are invited to college to run lectures or interactive workshops. Previously we have invited a commercial contracts solicitor for an international energy and waste company; serving police officers, and research assistants for the Law Commission;
• Our study directory pages contains a vast array of resources to enhance students' super-curricular experiences - from TV shows and films to books, we have compiled a list of all the very best legal materials.

Law complements most subjects.  Many of our students take further essay based subjects such as english literature, history, geography, politics, philosophy, sociology and psychology.  However students of maths, economics, science and languages also find law useful and interesting as it provides a balance and breadth to their studies. 

Law is an excellent qualification for a wide range of university courses, most notably law itself.  All students who have studied law at A level and who continue law to degree level, report that they are at a distinct advantage having studied law previously.  Universities now see the benefits of prospective students having studied law at A level.

As well as being an excellent preparation for higher education, law is useful for those considering a career in the Civil Service, banking, media, the police, local government, accountancy and of course the legal profession.

Please see below for careers and labour market information for law - use the refresh buttons to find out about different courses and careers, and use the left and right arrows to view more detailed information.

You can find the prep work for this course at prepwork.farnborough.ac.uk. 

Below we have set out the most commonly asked questions we get at an Open Day for both A level and BTEC law:

Q: What is the difference between A level law and BTEC law?
A: There are three main differences:

• The way the courses are assessed.  For A level, it is completely exam based with students sitting three x 2 hour papers at the end of two years study.  For BTEC, over the two year course, it is approximately 40% coursework and 60% controlled assessment, where students have access to some pre-prepared materials.
• The way the courses are delivered.  For BTEC, students receive guidance from their teacher, but much of the coursework is independently researched and written up.  For A level, the lessons are a combination of teacher and student-led teaching and activities.
• The approach to the content is different.  The BTEC course is more vocational with students developing the skills required in the workplace.  For example, students will be required to prepare emails to ‘clients’ advising them of the law or ‘newsletters’ providing legal information to the general public. The A level approach is more academic.  Students are expected to apply the law to different scenarios and to evaluate the law and legal systems, all in essay form.

There are also similarities, the main one being content.  The topics covered on both courses are very similar.  Both courses cover the following areas of law;

• Criminal law (including murder, manslaughter, theft, causing actual bodily harm, certain defences including intoxication and insanity)
• English Legal System (the court structure and how it works)
• Lawmaking (how laws are made)
• Negligence

The differences are that in BTEC, you will study family law, and at A level you will study contract law.

Q: Do you have to want to be a lawyer to do A level law?
A: Absolutely not.  A level law provides you with many transferable skills that will be so useful in whatever job/further study you choose.  Just over 50% of our students go on to do something related to law, but others progress to all types of study and careers.  Looking back over the last five years, our students have gone on to do all sorts of things including journalism, banking, business, politics, economics, philosophy, teaching, accounting, nursing, graphic design and many more.  This of course is in addition to many becoming members of the police force, solicitors, barristers, para-legals, law lecturers and law teachers.

Q: What are the lessons and resources like?
A: Lessons are 90 minutes long for all courses.  For all topics in law, you will have a booklet which you will work through in lessons and independently.  This keeps all your notes in one place.  In lessons, the subject lends itself to much discussion and debate.  The lesson format is varied with students carrying out individual and group work, preparing presentations, taking part in mock trials and applying the law to different situations.  There are also many varied resources for you to use including video presentations, PowerPoints, summary sheets, quizzes, Kahoots, Mentimeter, crosswords and essay templates.

Q: I have heard that if you want to study law at university, it is best not to study law for A level.
A: Probably about 25 -30 years ago, this may have been true for some universities.  Not now.  All universities, including Oxford and Cambridge accept A level law as a reputable qualification for access onto a law degree.  Many of our students each year are successfully admitted to top tier universities to study law and other equally challenging subjects.

It is true that you do not have to study law at A level in order to read it at university.  However, all of our students who have gone on to study law at top universities have agreed that taking law at A level gave them a distinct advantage, certainly in the first year of undergraduate study.  If nothing else, studying law at A level will give you a clear indication as to whether you will enjoy the subject BEFORE you have financially committed yourself to significant university fees.