When did you join Oakham? Are you a Day, Flexi- Boarder or full boarder? IB or A-level?
- I joined Oakham in Lower One, I’m a flexi Boarder and I’m currently in my first year of the IB Diploma
Why did you choose to study Politics?
- I chose to study politics as I was very keen to start some new subjects in the upper school and I was very excited to learn more about not only British politics but also themes included in the global politics course which is part of the IB course.
What do you enjoy about the course?
- The main thing I enjoy about the course is that after we have learnt the theory of a topic we can have many debates and discussions in class, working together means there is never a quiet or dull moment! I also love the coursework involved in the higher-level course for the IB program which involves giving a 10-minute presentation, this allows you to do extensive research into a political issue you are interested in and gives you lots of time to practise to make sure you have a strong head start for going into the exam!
What advice would you give future students thinking about studying Politics?
- Never be scared to share your opinion and view on a topic, it can help others create a broader argument and it will help bring context of a topic into your personal life helping your understanding, people will always listen and maybe have a laugh as I know from some of my controversial views!
Do the lessons give you an opportunity to think about your own views and the wider world?
- In the lessons there is a lot of time dedicated to discussions where you can share your thoughts and also discuss what’s going on in the world globally, this discussion builds your confidence on topics and consolidates what you already know.
Some say that studying a new subject is not needed – What do you think?
- Moving up into the Upper School brings lots of change and fresh starts, I think it’s really important to pick subjects you love and starting new subjects can create strong interests and therefore you won’t get bored completing all your assignments.
What other courses are you studying alongside Politics? Do you see crossovers topics with these subjects and Politics?
As part of my IB I’m taking Higher Level English, Politics and Economics and Standard Level, Maths, Italian and Environmental Systems and Societies. In the politics, Economics and ESS courses there are clear crossovers with political concepts and views being highlighted in the solutions to economic and environmental issues.
