“At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst.”

Aristotle 

Ever wondered what the difference is between murder and manslaughter? Ever wondered what society hopes to achieve by sending someone to prison for ten years? What about the difference between theft, robbery and burglary? Or the difference between juries and magistrates, or a solicitor and a barrister, or a crown court and a county court or any kind of court? These, and many other questions, will be answered during the course.

Entry requirements

Entry onto Level 3 courses includes students achieving 4 x 9 – 5 or equivalent at GCSE alongside a grade 5 or above in both English and Mathematics. Students with either English and/or Mathematics at grade 4 or below will have individual meetings to determine the most suitable pathway within Sixth Form.

Course description

Studying Applied Law helps develop specific skills, notably analytical thinking, persuading, expressing yourself succinctly in spoken and written forms of communication.

The learning programme covers the following content areas:

• Dispute solving in civil law – In this unit, you will learn about the courts that deal with civil law disputes, in addition to alternative methods of resolution.
• Investigating aspects of criminal law and the legal system – In this unit, you will develop the skills to investigate and research how different laws are made both inside and outside Parliament and then interpreted in courts.
• Applying the law – In this unit, you will examine case law relating to real-life crimes. You will need to be aware of specific Acts of Parliament that relate to criminal offences and police procedures.
• Aspects of Tort – In this unit you will examine the principles of tort and liability in negligence for psychiatric harm. You will explore liability for economic loss and negligent misstatement and investigate the law on occupier’s liability and vicarious liability.

The qualification carries UCAS points and if it is taken alongside other qualifications as part of a two-year programme of learning, then it is recognised by higher education providers as contributing to meeting admission requirements for many courses. It will support entry to many higher education courses, depending on the other qualifications learners have taken.

Exam board

Pearson BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Applied Law

Assessments

360 GLH – Equivalent in size to one A Level. 4 units of which 3 are mandatory and 2 are external. Mandatory content (83%) and External assessment (58%).

Ways to help my child succeed

Coursework can be challenging and stressful. In order to assist your child, talk to them, proof read their work for them and encourage them to present their work to the highest standards.

Useful websites

The Bar Council: www.barcouncil.org.uk
Centre for Effective Disupte Resolution: www.cedr.com
The Criminal Justice System for England and Wales: www.cjsonline.gov.uk
HM Courts and Tribunal Service: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary: www.judiciary.uk
The Law Society: www.lawsociety.org.uk