How does the UK Constitution affect the way the country is governed?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how the UK Constitution works and how it differs from the Constitution of the United States.
Key learning points
- The UK has an uncodified constitution, made up of laws, conventions and traditions.
- Parliamentary Sovereignty means Parliament can make or change any law.
- The UK system is flexible and can respond quickly, like with the Online Safety Act 2023.
- The US has a codified constitution, which is written in one document and harder to change.
- The US is a federal system, so states control areas like education, unlike the UK's devolved system.
Keywords
Constitution - the set of principles and rules by which a country is organised; it is usually contained in one document
Uncodified - the laws, legal decisions and customs that govern a country that does not have a constitution in a single written document
Conventions - rules that are observed despite not being written in a document that has legal authority
Common misconception
The UK has a written constitution like the United States.
The UK Constitution is uncodified; it exists through laws, customs and conventions, but is not written down in one single document.
Teacher tip
You could also compare France to the uncodified UK to help pupils understand the UK’s unique flexibility and the limits of Parliamentary Sovereignty in other democracies. For example, France operates under the Fifth Republic’s Constitution, setting out executive powers clearly in law, unlike the UK.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the word to its description.
gives a seat on the Security Council
involves agreeing to fair trade rules
means being part of a defence alliance
Q2.The UK gains from being a member of organisations like the WTO and the Commonwealth.
Q3.What must the UK do to remain a responsible WTO member?
Q4.The Commonwealth is made up of mostly former colonies.
Q5.Put the following benefits of being part of international organisations in order from individual to global impact.
Q6.Which of these is an obligation of being part of the UN?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the word with its definition.
the set of principles and rules by which a country is organised
a constitution not written in a single legal document
rules followed even if not formally written in law
Q2.Parliamentary means Parliament can make or change any law.
Q3.Why is the UK Constitution considered flexible?
Q4.The United States is a system, which gives states power over areas like education.
Q5.Which of the following is an example of a convention in the UK constitution?
Q6.Put these constitutional features in the correct order from most rigid to most flexible.
To help you plan your 11 citizenship lesson on: How does the UK Constitution affect the way the country is governed?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 citizenship lesson on: How does the UK Constitution affect the way the country is governed?, 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 Practising what we have learnt unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.