Head of Department: Mr R Elliott

Government and Politics is taught as an AS level to Lower Sixth and as an A2 subject to the Upper Sixth. We teach the specification from CCEA and in particular concentrate on the study of the governments of Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

We do not specify any preconditions for entry but a general interest in current affairs helps put issues in context and also encourages students to research the subject through the mass media away from the classroom.

We try to incorporate a field trip to Parliament Buildings, Stormont, where in the past year the Lower Sixth had the opportunity to meet and question representatives from most of the main political parties. The pictures show students listening to Naomi Long of the Alliance Party, Sir Reg Empey of the Ulster Unionist Party, Dr. Alisdair McDonnell of S.D.L.P. and Edwin Poots of the D.U.P.