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      How does the Prime Minister's role differ from other elected leaders?

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can explain the role of the Prime Minister in the UK and describe how their role differs to other elected leaders across the world.

      Key learning points

      1. The UK Prime Minister leads the Government in the UK.
      2. Some countries have leaders that are both head of state and government.

      Keywords

      • Prime Minister - the leader of the political party who is in power and head of the government

      • Executive - the branch of government that is responsible for putting laws or decisions into effect

      • Government - the group of people with the authority to govern a country; in the UK, the Government is chosen and led by the Prime Minister (PM)

      Common misconception

      The UK Prime Minister has the same level of power as other elected leaders.

      The UK Prime Minister can be removed with a vote of no confidence. The US President has fixed terms and a stronger separation from the legislature.

      Teacher tip

      Leaders can change over time so it is good to check before teaching that current leaders are correct.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      The US President has the power to bills, meaning they reject a proposed law.

      Correct Answer: veto

      Q2.
      What is the function of the US Congress?

      to elect the President
      Correct answer: to create and amend laws
      to approve Supreme Court judges
      to lead military operations

      Q3.
      Match the role to the correct branch of government.

      Correct Answer:creates and passes laws,legislative

      legislative

      Correct Answer:interprets laws,judiciary

      judiciary

      Correct Answer:makes policy decisions,executive

      executive

      Q4.
      Which of these statements is true?

      Correct answer: The US President is both Head of State and Head of Government.
      The UK monarch also leads the government.
      The US has a monarch as Head of State.
      The UK Prime Minister is the Head of State.

      Q5.
      The UK Parliament is , meaning it has two chambers that must both approve laws before they take effect.

      Correct Answer: bicameral

      Q6.
      Arrange the following chambers based on the number of representatives within each, starting with the smallest:

      1 - Senate
      2 - House of Representatives
      3 - House of Commons
      4 - House of Lords

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Which of these accurately reflects the role of the UK Prime Minister?

      appoints all Members of Parliament
      can create laws by themselves
      Correct answer: leads the government
      serves a fixed term of four years

      Q2.
      Which of these statements is true?

      The Prime Minister is elected directly by the people.
      Correct answer: The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the largest party in Parliament.
      The Prime Minister acts independently of Parliament.
      The Prime Minister cannot be part of any political party.

      Q3.
      The Prime Minister can be removed by a vote of in Parliament.

      Correct Answer: no confidence

      Q4.
      Match the key terms to their definitions:

      Correct Answer:Cabinet,A group of senior ministers chosen by the Prime Minister

      A group of senior ministers chosen by the Prime Minister

      Correct Answer:Civil service,A body of government workers who help to implement policies

      A body of government workers who help to implement policies

      Correct Answer:Government,The group of people with the authority to govern a country

      The group of people with the authority to govern a country

      Q5.
      The current leader of Saudi Arabia is a ...

      Correct answer: King
      President
      Supreme Ruler
      Lord

      Q6.
      Which of these duties does the Prime Minister carry out?

      Correct answer: Meet with foreign leaders
      Decide court rulings
      Sign the Royal Assent
      Maintain order in the House of Commons

      To help you plan your 11 citizenship lesson on: How does the Prime Minister's role differ from other elected leaders?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...