How can we hold our leaders to account?
I can explain what the separation of powers is and how it is used to hold leaders to account.
How can we hold our leaders to account?
I can explain what the separation of powers is and how it is used to hold leaders to account.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The main branches of power in the UK are executive, legislative and judiciary.
- The three branches perform checks and balances on each other.
- Leaders are held accountable through debates, questioning and parliamentary inquiries.
Keywords
Legislative - the law making body of the state, i.e. Parliament in the UK
Executive - the branch of government that is responsible for putting laws or decisions into effect
Judiciary - the branch of the state that is responsible for enforcing the law; it is composed of judges and other legal officials
Common misconception
Citizens aren't able to make a difference and hold leaders accountable.
Citizens hold leaders accountable through raising concerns, participating in inquiries and contacting MPs.
To help you plan your year 11 citizenship lesson on: How can we hold our leaders to account?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 citizenship lesson on: How can we hold our leaders to account?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 citizenship lessons from the Should the UK be called a democracy? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
to create laws
to review and debate laws that have been proposed
to sign the Royal Assent
Exit quiz
6 Questions
the lawmaking body of the state, i.e. Parliament
responsible for putting laws into effect
composed of judges and legal officials who enforce the law