1. AS/A2
Politics Teacher Courses
London and Manchester
October 2010 - March 2011
RS
HE
FI
TEAC
RST
www.teachersfirst.org.uk There’s always something
new to learn

2. British Politics: The Electoral Reform Debate and the
2010 General Election
Course Features
Keynote Speaker: Prof. David Denver
We are delighted to provide this unique opportunity for (Lancaster University)
delegates to focus on this exciting and key area of their
teaching. The course will enable teachers to update their David specializes in studying elections. He is a nationally
subject knowledge, discuss the latest developments and known figure in his field and frequently comments in the
consider the progress and outcomes of current research. press, radio and television.
Tutor: Neil McNaughton
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD
containing detailed notes of the course A highly experienced former Head of Politics, Neil has
also held senior posts with the major awarding bodies
over a number of years, most recently as a Principal Ex-
aminer. He is a well know author and co-author of many
Venue and date A-level textbooks and is a regular contributor to both
teacher and student conferences.
London, Thursday 11th November 2010
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: Developments in AS Politics
Neil McNaughton
10.45am: The Constitution after the 2010 Election
Neil McNaughton
11.00am: Morning coffee
11.15am: Lessons from the 2010 Election
Professor David Denver
12.30pm: Lunch
1.30pm: The Electoral Reform Debate after the 2010 Election
Professor David Denver
2.45pm: Bringing it all together: updating existing & reviewing new resources, links to examination
questions, developing your students’ evaluation skills
Neil McNaughton
3.45pm: Day ends

3. Teaching AS/A2 Politics for the first time
Course features
Tutors: Nick Neary and Will Dawson
This course has been specifically designed to support
and reassure teachers new to AS and A2 Politics;
teaching either AQA or Edexcel specifications. It will also Will and Nick both teach politics in a grade 1 Politics
be of benefit as a refresher course for those teachers department. Nick has over 20 years experience as an
who are returning to A level teaching. It will also provide Assistant and Principal Examiner and is a trained Ofsted
an opportunity to share stimulating ideas which can be inspector. He is a member of the college Management
used immediately in the classroom. Group and his roles include Head of Social Sciences,
Senior Tutor and Quality Leader. As well as teaching
Politics and Geography Will has a cross college
responsibility relating to teaching and learning in sharing
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD practical ideas and good practice with colleagues from
containing detailed notes of the course all curriculum areas.
Venue and date
Course fee £195 plus VAT
London, Tuesday 8th February 2011
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: A brief introduction to the demands of the specifications including common
assessment objectives
10.30am: How to teach outstanding lessons:
Starters and plenaries
Question techniques
Differentiated tasks
This session will also include a practical activity on the grading of politics
lessons
11.15pm: Morning coffee
11.30pm: Stretch and challenge
What it means
How is it assessed
Practical activities for all students including the most able.
12.30pm: Lunch
1.30pm: Assessing students work
Different forms of assessment
Assessment objectives
Marking exercises and feedback strategies
2.30pm: Active learning
Practical session providing examples of active learning strategies
3.15pm: Surfing the web
Use of YouTube, Podcasts, RSS feeds and Twitter
3.45pm: Day ends

4. Edexcel AS/A2 Politics:
Lessons to be learnt from June 2010 and moving forward
Course features
Tutor: Neil McNaughton
This course is aimed at teachers of A Level Politics
delivering the Edexcel specification. The emphasis of
the day will be the preparation of candidates for the A highly experienced former Head of Politics, Neil has
2011 examinations by learning from the experiences also held senior posts with the major awarding bodies
and outcomes of the June 2010 examinations. The day over a number of years, most recently as a Principal
will include discussions, workshops and group activities. Examiner. He is a well know author and co-author of
Consequently, delegates will have the opportunity to many A-level textbooks and is a regular contributor to
discuss and share ideas about strategies for delivery of both teacher and student conferences.
the course and assessment practices.
Venues and dates
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD London, Thursday 14 October2010
containing detailed notes of the course Manchester, Tuesday 12 October2010
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: An overview of the AS examination
Unit 1 issues
11.00am: Morning coffee
11.15am: Unit 2 issues
12.30am: Lunch
1.30pm: An overview of the A2 examination
Ideologies Unit 3 issues
2.45pm: Ideologies Unit 4 issues
3.45pm: Day ends

5. AS Politics: improving student performance
Course features
Guest Speaker: Professor Gerry Stoker
This non board specific course is for Politics teachers
who are looking for ways to develop their approach to Gerry is a well known author having written or edited
challenging and guiding their students through the AS over 20 books. His book Why Politics Matters (Palgrave)
course. We will look at a range of activities that will help won the 2006 political book of the year award. His
students gain the skills that they need to acquire good current research includes issues of governance in
subject knowledge and apply it effectively to familiar complex settings and political disenchantment in
and unfamiliar contexts. Emphasis will be placed on western democracies. Gerry has also acted as an adviser
the use of contemporary examples in the students’ to the UK Government and the Council of Europe.
assignments.
Professor Gerry Stoker will provide the delegates with
an opportunity to gain an up-to-date review of the
general state of politics and ideas that the delegates can
include in their teaching. Tutor: Neil McNaughton
A highly experienced former Head of Politics, Neil has
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD also held senior posts with the major awarding bodies
containing detailed notes of the course over a number of years, most recently as a Principal
Examiner. He is a well know author and co-author of
many A-level textbooks and is a regular contributor to
Venue and date both teacher and student conferences.
London, Wednesday 2 March 2011
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: How students can improve their grades by using current developments:
an update on coalition government
an update on constitutional affairs
an update on AV
an update on the Cameron agenda and the Big Society
11.00am: Morning coffee
11.15am: How students can improve their grades by understanding the May 2010
election
11.45am: The state of Politics- a review
Professor Gerry Stoker
12.45pm: Lunch
1.45pm: Short answer questions - improving student answers, pitfalls and
misconceptions
2.15pm: Stimulus questions - applying information and knowledge effectively
3.00pm: Success in the extended essay - improving techniques and writing skills
3.45pm: Day ends

6. Developing a Politics department: raising the profile and
extending participation (for new, existing and aspiring
subject leaders)
Course features
Tutor: Mike McCartney
Course details This course has been specifically designed
for those who want to improve the success and raise
the profile of their department. The focus will be on Mike is an experienced teacher and examiner of A
curriculum vision, management, monitoring and self level Politics and currently heads a highly successful
evaluation and delegates will be encouraged to discuss and rapidly expanding department. His work has been
and consider various ways to lead a thriving Politics published widely, he acted as editor of the digital
department with the primary emphasis being on magazine First Past the Post, and has arranged and led a
practical strategies. number of teacher conferences.
Venue and date
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD London, Tuesday 7th December 2010
containing detailed notes of the course
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: General introduction and aims of the day:
What makes you and your department stand out?
10.15am: Setting targets and getting the administration right
Being clear about what you want to achieve
How success can be measured
11.00am: Morning coffee
11.15am: Promoting Politics and increasing participation
What can Politics offer potential students?
How can interest in the subject be stimulated before students reach A level?
12.15am: Moving beyond “G&T”
Using off syllabus activities to develop interest and awareness about Politics
Using technology, reading groups, trips, Politics societies, mock elections, etc
1.15pm: Lunch
2.00pm: Professional development
Showing signs of leadership: what does SMT recognise as good departmental
leadership and how can we fulfill these requirements?
How peer review and student assessment can improve teaching
3.00pm: Enthusing inside the classroom: not just chalk and talk
Methods for generating a buzz about how your subject is taught
3.45pm: Day ends

7. Alternative approaches to delivering AS and A2 Politics
Course features
Tutor: Matthew Kavanagh
This course is aimed at teachers looking for alternative
ways to deliver teaching of A-level Government and
Politics. Principally the course will focus on the use Matthew is an experienced teacher of Government and
of ICT in classroom teaching, in preparing students Politics and is also an examiner for a major awarding
for the exams and in encouraging students to acquire body. He is also the author of the AQA endorsed online
independent study skills. content for the new AQA AS and A2 specification
by Nelson Thorne. He currently teaches at a large
successful sixth form college.
Delegates will receive a file and/or CD Venue and date
containing detailed notes of the course
London, Friday 25 March 2011
Course fee £195 plus VAT
9.45am: Registration and coffee
10.00am: Using ICT in teaching
A detailed look at how ICT can be utilized in the classroom to enrich the
teaching of Government and Politics
11.30am: Morning coffee
11.45am: Using ICT for exam preparation
A detailed look at how ICT can be utilized to help students prepare for ex-
aminations
1.00pm: Lunch
2.00pm: Using ICT top foster independent study skills
Using ICT to help students acquire and improve independent study skills.
Inclusion of contemporary examples in their work
3.00pm: Resources for Government and Politics using the web
There is a world beyond Wikipedia! Helping teachers help students to use
the web to enhance their learning in a positive way.
3.45pm: Day ends

8. Teacher Day Booking Form
)0844 800 5292 20844 800 5295 8bookings@teachersfirst.org.uk
Or return the booking form to us at the address given below. We will then confirm your booking and issue an invoice.
Payment is required 2 weeks before the date of the workshop.
Course details will be sent out to you about 10 days before the course, after the receipt of payment.
Please telephone us if you have not received them by this time.
Further information on this and other events can be found on our website www.teachersfirst.org.uk
Teacher Courses Venue Date Course fee per Number of
head (plus VAT) places required
British Politics: The Electoral Reform Debate
London 11/11/10 £195
and the 2010 General Election
Teaching AS/A2 Politics for the first time London 08/02/11 £195
London 14/10/10 £195
Edexcel AS/A2 Politics: The lessons from
summer 2010 and moving forward
Manchester 12/10/10 £195
AS/A2 Politics: strategies for success and
London 02/03/11 £195
improving student performance
Developing a Politics department: raising the
profile and facing the challenges ahead.
London 07/12/10 £195
For new, existing and aspiring heads of
department
Alternative approaches to delivering AS and A2
London 25/03/11 £195
Politics
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Teachers First LLP, PO Box 659, Stockport, SK2 7WF. new to learn
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