Subject
Applied Law
Course
BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Applied Law (Extended Certificate)
Exam Board
Pearson
For more information contact Head of Department:
Mrs D Powell
Brief introduction to subject:
Studying Law will help you to boost your CV by developing your skills and attributes. These include resilience, independence, analytical, critical thinking and problem solving skills. All of these skills would support you in your transition to higher education as well as the work place.
Course Requirements
5 GCSEs (or equivalent) at grade 4 or above. Previous study in this subject not essential
Assessment
The BTEC Level 3 in Applied Law qualification is designed to provide a highly specialist, work-centred qualification in Law. It will give you the knowledge, understanding and skills that you need to prepare for employment.
BTECs are a vocational qualification and are viewed by many universities as being equivalent to an A Level.
Year 12
- Unit 1 Dispute Solving in Civil Law
- External mandatory exam
- Civil Court Process
- Tort Law: Negligence
- External mandatory exam
- Unit 2 Investigating Aspects of Criminal Law and the Legal System
- Internal mandatory assessment
- Law Making
- European Union Law
- Criminal Court Process
- Legal Personnel
- Internal mandatory assessment
Year 13
- Unit 3 Applying the Law
- External mandatory exam
- Fatal Offences
- Police Powers
- Property Offences
- External mandatory exam
- Unit 7
- One Internal optional assessment
- Family Law
- Tort Law
- Contract Law
- One Internal optional assessment
Those who study BTEC Law progress to higher education to study law, criminology and forensic science. Legal apprenticeships are also becoming a more popular route into the legal profession for students.
Career options include: Armed Forces, Law, Policing, Business & Criminology.
| End points | Year 12 | Year 13 |
| End point 1
Develop their knowledge and understanding of the English legal system and areas of both private and public law within the law of England and Wales |
Explain the law of negligence: Duty of care Three stage test: • proximity • foreseeability • fair, just and reasonable. Breach of duty • Objective standard. • The reasonable person test: o special characteristics of defendant o professionals o learners o children. • Special characteristics and risk factors of claimant: o the risk of harm o social utility o taking of precautions. Damage • Factual causation: o the ‘but for’ test. • Remoteness of damage: o reasonable foreseeability o the type of damage caused o the thin skull rule.
Explain elements of a crime • Actus reus acts and omissions; causation; mens rea; strict liability; coincidence of actus reus and mens rea.
Explain the law of Non-fatal offences • The actus reus and mens rea of: o assault and battery o Section 18 – grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent – Offences Against the Person Act 1861 o Section 20 OAP – grievous bodily harm o Section 47OAP – actual bodily harm (ABH). |
Explain the law relating to duty of care, breach and damage • Duty of care and the effect of public policy on its development. • Breach of duty and the legal tests relating to the reasonable man and risk factors. • Causation and remoteness of damage.
Explain the law of psychiatric harm – meaning and scope of psychiatric harm. • Historical development of the law. • Primary and secondary victims. • Rescuers and bystanders. • Relationship with victim, the aftermath and loss
Explain Gross negligence manslaughter: o difference between gross negligence manslaughter and unlawful act manslaughter o key elements of gross negligence manslaughter – meaning of duty of care and the various types of duty that exist, when there will be a breach of duty causing death, meaning of gross negligence, application of relevant case law.
Explain the laws relating to corporate manslaughter • Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. • Proof of gross breach of duty and serious management failure. • Investigation, prosecution and penalties under the Act.
Explain the law of Murder • Actus reus of murder – legal definition of a human being with application of relevant case law. • Proving causation in murder – establishing causation through both factual and legal causation, application of relevant case law. • Mens rea of murder – difference between direct and oblique intention and the meaning of indirect intention. • Criticisms of the current law and proposals for reform.
Explain the law of Involuntary manslaughter • Introduction to the difference between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. • Unlawful act manslaughter: o key elements of unlawful act manslaughter – meaning of unlawful act, dangerous act and causing death, application of relevant case law. |
| End point 2
Demonstrate their ability to analyse a scenario by identifying the key facts from which legal issues arise |
Analyse the law of negligence: Duty of care Three stage test: • proximity • foreseeability • fair, just and reasonable. Breach of duty • Objective standard. • The reasonable person test: o special characteristics of defendant o professionals o learners o children. • Special characteristics and risk factors of claimant: o the risk of harm o social utility o taking of precautions. Damage • Factual causation: o the ‘but for’ test. • Remoteness of damage: o reasonable foreseeability o the type of damage caused o the thin skull rule.
Analyse elements of a crime • Actus reus acts and omissions; causation; mens rea; strict liability; coincidence of actus reus and mens rea.
Analyse the law of Non-fatal offences • The actus reus and mens rea of: o assault and battery o Section 18 – grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent – Offences Against the Person Act 1861 o Section 20 OAP – grievous bodily harm o Section 47OAP – actual bodily harm (ABH). |
Analyse the law relating to duty of care, breach and damage • Duty of care and the effect of public policy on its development. • Breach of duty and the legal tests relating to the reasonable man and risk factors. • Causation and remoteness of damage.
Analyse the law psychiatric harm – meaning and scope of psychiatric harm. • Historical development of the law. • Primary and secondary victims. • Rescuers and bystanders. • Relationship with victim, the aftermath and loss
Analyse Gross negligence manslaughter: o difference between gross negligence manslaughter and unlawful act manslaughter o key elements of gross negligence manslaughter – meaning of duty of care and the various types of duty that exist, when there will be a breach of duty causing death, meaning of gross negligence, application of relevant case law.
Analyse the laws relating to corporate manslaughter • Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. • Proof of gross breach of duty and serious management failure. • Investigation, prosecution and penalties under the act.
Analyse the law of Murder • Actus reus of murder – legal definition of a human being with application of relevant case law. • Proving causation in murder – establishing causation through both factual and legal causation, application of relevant case law. • Mens rea of murder – difference between direct and oblique intention and the meaning of indirect intention. • Criticisms of the current law and proposals for reform.
Analyse the law of Involuntary manslaughter • Introduction to the difference between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. • Unlawful act manslaughter: o key elements of unlawful act manslaughter – meaning of unlawful act, dangerous act and causing death, application of relevant case law.
|
| End point 3
Analyse, when formulating a legal argument, legislation by applying the rules and principles of statutory interpretation and analyse case law by applying the doctrine of precedent |
Apply the law of negligence: Duty of care Three stage test: • proximity • foreseeability • fair, just and reasonable. Breach of duty • Objective standard. • The reasonable person test: o special characteristics of defendant o professionals o learners o children. • Special characteristics and risk factors of claimant: o the risk of harm o social utility o taking of precautions. Damage • Factual causation: o the ‘but for’ test. • Remoteness of damage: o reasonable foreseeability o the type of damage caused o the thin skull rule.
Apply elements of a crime • Actus reus acts and omissions; causation; mens rea; strict liability; coincidence of actus reus and mens rea.
Apply the law of Non-fatal offences • The actus reus and mens rea of: o assault and battery o Section 18 – grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent – Offences Against the Person Act 1861 o Section 20 OAP – grievous bodily harm o Section 47OAP – actual bodily harm (ABH). |
Apply the law relating to duty of care, breach and damage • Duty of care and the effect of public policy on its development. • Breach of duty and the legal tests relating to the reasonable man and risk factors. • Causation and remoteness of damage.
Apply the law psychiatric harm – meaning and scope of psychiatric harm. • Historical development of the law. • Primary and secondary victims. • Rescuers and bystanders. • Relationship with victim, the aftermath and loss
Apply Gross negligence manslaughter: o difference between gross negligence manslaughter and unlawful act manslaughter o key elements of gross negligence manslaughter – meaning of duty of care and the various types of duty that exist, when there will be a breach of duty causing death, meaning of gross negligence, application of relevant case law.
Apply the laws relating to corporate manslaughter • Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. • Proof of gross breach of duty and serious management failure. • Investigation, prosecution and penalties under the Act.
Apply the law of Murder • Actus reus of murder – legal definition of a human being with application of relevant case law. • Proving causation in murder – establishing causation through both factual and legal causation, application of relevant case law. • Mens rea of murder – difference between direct and oblique intention and the meaning of indirect intention. • Criticisms of the current law and proposals for reform.
Apply the law of Involuntary manslaughter • Introduction to the difference between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. • Unlawful act manslaughter: o key elements of unlawful act manslaughter – meaning of unlawful act, dangerous act and causing death, application of relevant case law.
|
| End point 4
Analyse and critically evaluate legal issues by identifying different perspectives, being able to support their identification of the strongest viewpoint and demonstrating the ability to counter alternative viewpoints. |
Evaluate the current law of negligence
Evaluate the current law on non-fatal offences against the person and related current sentencing trends. |
Evaluate the development of the law relating to imposition of duty of care and limitations imposed in situations of psychiatric harm, negligent misstatements and pure economic loss claims.
Evaluate the current law of gross negligence manslaughter
Evaluate the current law of corporate manslaughter
Evaluate the current law on unlawful act manslaughter |
| End point 5
Develop competence in using legal skills during the study of the nature of law, legal issues and the English legal system, and private and public areas of substantive law |
Developing legal skills & legal sources.
Researching and referencing legal information. |
Developing legal skills
Researching legal information. Finding appropriate and reliable sources. Referencing legal information |
| End point 6
Develop an understanding of legal method and reasoning as used by lawyers and the judiciary |
Methods of appropriate professional communication with colleagues, lawyers, clients.
• Analysing , interpreting and applying information from sources and authorities. Presenting information verbally and in writing. |
Legal advice provided based on case studies; presentation to a professional audience or to a client. |
2020-21
100% Pass+ 88% D-D*
100% Pass+ 92% D-D*
