Extending Franchise and debates on Democratic Reform UK

Designed for Edexcel Politics Alevel spec but can easily be used for AQA.
Updated for 2025!

This is a 2 hour lesson which includes a huge retrieval grid on core knowledge from past 5 weeks/ double lessons explaining the reforms which have happened in the UK in terms of the franchise since 1832 up to and including Votes for 16 in Scotland and Wales.

The main part of the lesson involves group work/ investigation lesson into potential reforms of the UK Democratic system to boost participation and engagement, make the government more legitimate and accountable and improve representation.

Students investigate individually or in groups using a variety of sources all provided and updated to 2025 around the current thinking and debates on:
-Votes for 16 nationally
-Compulsory Voting
-Prisoner voting (including reforms so far and further proposals)
-Wider use of direct democracy inccluding referendums, citizens assemblies and initiatives
-Electoral reform to some sort of PR system (links to later topics)

Included: Complete lesson designed to take 2 hours plus homework. Full powerpoint which can be amended as needed, all resources for investigation which include pressure group and think tank references in some cases as well as key events e.g. AV referendum and an analysis grid (suggest print double sided A3) for student notes/ arguments and ranking.