Skip to main content

← CCEA-GCSE

Northern Ireland · CCEA2026

CCEA GCSE Government and Politics: complete guide to the two units and how to study each module

A complete guide to CCEA GCSE Government and Politics (Northern Ireland). Covers the two units, Democracy in Action and International Politics in Action, the distinctive study of power-sharing in Northern Ireland, government in the wider UK, the role of the citizen, the EU and the UN, how the two papers are structured, and how to study each module, presented neutrally and even-handedly.

Browse guides →Syllabus dot points (12)

CCEA GCSE Government and Politics is a two-unit course examined by two written papers of equal weight, set and marked by CCEA in Northern Ireland. This page is the index: below is a map of the units, the skills the course tests, the assessment structure, and how to study each module. Throughout, political and community content is presented neutrally and even-handedly.

The CCEA GCSE Government and Politics units

The qualification is built around two units of equal weight, with the distinctive study of power-sharing government in Northern Ireland at its heart.

Unit 1: Democracy in Action (50 percent). A written paper covering three strands. Government and politics in Northern Ireland: the Assembly, the Executive, power-sharing and consociationalism, the d'Hondt method and the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement. Government in the United Kingdom: the Parliament at Westminster, the Prime Minister and Cabinet, elections and electoral systems, and political parties. The role of the citizen: the media, rights and responsibilities, and taking action through voting, petitioning, demonstrating and joining a party or pressure group.

Unit 2: International Politics in Action (50 percent). A written paper on the international dimension of politics: interdependence and globalisation, the European Union, and the United Nations and international cooperation, including peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, NATO and non-governmental organisations.

The skills the course tests

Government and Politics rewards more than memory. Across both units, examiners look for:

  • Knowledge. Precise facts: the right numbers, systems and terms for each institution.
  • Understanding. Explaining how institutions work and why, for example, power is shared in Northern Ireland.
  • Analysis and evaluation. Weighing arguments for and against, and reaching a balanced judgement.
  • Balance. Describing unionist and nationalist positions, and every contested issue, neutrally and even-handedly.

Assessment structure

CCEA GCSE Government and Politics is split equally between Unit 1 (50 percent) and Unit 2 (50 percent), each assessed by a written paper.

  • Unit 1 Democracy in Action - knowledge, description and explanation questions on Northern Ireland, the UK and the citizen, with longer evaluation questions.
  • Unit 2 International Politics in Action - knowledge, description and explanation questions on interdependence, the EU and the UN, with longer evaluation questions.

How to study CCEA Government and Politics

The course rewards precise knowledge, balanced judgement and disciplined exam technique.

  1. Work unit by unit. Build clear notes on each institution and system.
  2. Learn precise detail. Numbers, systems and terms are the evidence your answers need.
  3. Weigh both sides. For evaluation questions, argue for and against before judging.
  4. Be scrupulously balanced. Present community and party positions neutrally.
  5. Write to time. A clear structure and a supported, even-handed judgement win marks.

The modules, dot point by dot point

Each unit has a specification-level overview with worked questions and cross-links, plus dot-point pages and a quiz. Browse the full set at /ccea-gcse/politics/syllabus.

  • Unit 1: Democracy in Action - the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Northern Ireland Executive, the Good Friday Agreement and devolution, the UK Parliament at Westminster, the Prime Minister and Cabinet, elections and electoral systems, political parties, the role of the media, and taking action, rights and pressure groups.
  • Unit 2: International Politics in Action - interdependence and globalisation, the European Union, and the United Nations and international cooperation.

For the official specification

CCEA publishes the full specification, past papers and mark schemes at ccea.org.uk. Always revise from the current CCEA specification and CCEA's own past papers, because question style is board-specific.

Politics guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

See all →

Politics practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The CCEA-GCSE system, explained

See all →

Common questions about Politics

How is CCEA GCSE Government and Politics structured?
CCEA GCSE Government and Politics is examined by two written papers of equal weight. Unit 1, Democracy in Action, is worth 50 percent and covers government and politics in Northern Ireland (the Assembly, the Executive, power-sharing and the Good Friday Agreement), government in the United Kingdom (Parliament, the Prime Minister and Cabinet, elections and political parties), and the role of the citizen (the media, rights and responsibilities, and pressure groups). Unit 2, International Politics in Action, is worth 50 percent and covers interdependence and globalisation, the European Union, and the United Nations and international cooperation.
What makes CCEA Government and Politics distinctive?
CCEA sets and marks this GCSE in Northern Ireland, so the study of devolved, power-sharing government in Northern Ireland is central. Students learn how the Assembly is elected by the single transferable vote, how the Executive is formed by the d'Hondt method, and how the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement built power-sharing on the principle of consent. This gives a detailed, balanced study of Northern Ireland's own institutions that is distinctive to CCEA.
What does Unit 1 Democracy in Action cover?
Unit 1 has three strands. Government and politics in Northern Ireland covers the Assembly, the Executive, power-sharing and consociationalism, the d'Hondt method and the Good Friday Agreement. Government in the United Kingdom covers the Parliament at Westminster, the Prime Minister and Cabinet, elections and electoral systems (first-past-the-post and the single transferable vote) and political parties. The role of the citizen covers the media, rights and responsibilities, and taking action through voting, petitioning, demonstrating and joining a party or pressure group.
What does Unit 2 International Politics in Action cover?
Unit 2 looks at the international dimension of politics. It covers interdependence and globalisation (why countries depend on one another and which global problems require cooperation), the European Union (its aims, institutions, the rights and obligations of membership, the arguments for and against belonging, and the UK's departure), and the United Nations and wider international cooperation including peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, NATO and non-governmental organisations.
How is CCEA GCSE Government and Politics assessed?
Each unit is a written paper worth half of the GCSE, sat at the end of the course. Questions range from short knowledge and description tasks to longer explanation and evaluation questions that reward developed reasoning and balanced judgement. Because Northern Ireland's politics is sensitive, marks are given for accurate, neutral and even-handed answers. Question style is board-specific, so revise from the current CCEA specification and CCEA's own past papers and mark schemes.
How should I revise CCEA GCSE Government and Politics?
Work unit by unit, learning the institutions and systems precisely: the right numbers (ninety MLAs, eighteen constituencies, 650 MPs), the right systems (the single transferable vote, first-past-the-post, the d'Hondt method) and the right terms (consent, consociationalism, collective responsibility, interdependence). Drill the longer questions by weighing both sides of every evaluation and reaching a measured, even-handed judgement backed by examples. Present unionist and nationalist positions neutrally. Revise from the current CCEA specification, past papers and mark schemes.