What follows is a guide to useful websites for students of AS & A2 Law. All sites are free to access unless indicated otherwise.
General
1. AQA's website contains the full course specification, specimen exam material and other resources - go to: www.aqa.org.uk
2. Lawteacher is an excellent website specifically for AS/A2 students - go to: www.lawteacher.net
3. Saint Brendans Sixth Form College has many useful resources for AS/A2 Law students - go to: www.stbrn.ac.uk/other/depts/law
4. Bournemouth and Poole College law department - go to: www.sixthform.info/law/index.htm
5. Sussex Downs College website is designed primarily for AQA students: www.sussexdowns.ac.uk
6. Law Student.com is an excellent site, again designed specifically for AS/A2 students. The school pays a subscription fee for its content, you have also been your own username and password for remote access go to: www.e-lawstudent.com
7. The Guardian and Observer newspapers have well respected legal journalists on their staff and the website has a very useful 'archive search' facility which enables easier research as it is searchable by exact dates - go to: www.guardian.co.uk
8. The Times newspaper puts its law pages on the website, but there is a subscription fee to access past issues - go to: www.timesonline.co.uk
9. The BBC often covers legal news quite well - search for material in its search engine - www.bbc.co.uk
Unit 2 Parliament
The UK Parliament website provides a wealth of material, including recent Acts, Hansard (the record of parliamentary debates and committees) and some very readable introductory material designed for schools and colleges called Explore Parliament - go to: www.parliament.uk
HM Stationery Office. To access Acts directly go to this site. Notice that an Act may have been amended since it was first published, and that this is not shown. A particularly helpful development in recent years is the inclusion of explanatory notes, which summarises the effect of sections in ordinary language. You will see a link to these at the bottom of the first page for an Act - go to: www.hmso.gov.uk/acts.htm
Unit 3 Parliamentary sovereignty and human rights
The European Court of Human Rights website, includes the text of the ECHR - go to: www.echr.coe.int
Liberty is a human rights pressure group and has an extensive website. In particular click on 'Resources' to find a substantial pack on human rights for use in schools, though not specifically for AS law - go to: www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk
Unit 5 EU institutions
EU institutions homepages can be obtained from a central website - go to: www.europa.eu.int
Unit 7 The common law and the doctrine of precedent
The House of Lords judgements are available - click on 'Judicial work' on the left hand menu at: www.parliament.uk/aboutjords
Court Service website. Some major judgments can also be found here - go to: www.courtservice.gov.uk
Unit 9 Pressures for change and law reform agencies
The Law Commission can be found at: www.iawcom.gov.uk
Unit 10 The civil courts
The Court Service website has detailed guidance on the civil courts for the non-lawyer. See 'You and the courts' in the menu to the left on the home page at: www.courtservice.gov.uk
The Woolf Report can also be found on the Department for Constitutional Affairs site at: www.dca.gov.uk/civil/reportfr.htm
Unit 11 Tribunals and alternative dispute resolution
The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution site contains examples of businesses who have successfully used mediation and other forms of ADR at: www.cedr.co.uk
The Appeals Service is the public body which deals with appeal tribunals for a range of benefits. Looking at the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) gives an insight into how the appeal tribunals operate - go to: www.appeals-service.gov.uk
Unit 12 Criminal courts
The Auld Report is available at: www.criminal-courts-review.org.uk
CJS online. This is a site run by the Home Office that contains a great deal of official information and links to other places. From the drop down menus in the top left corner of the home page you can access information about all aspects of the criminal justice system - go to: www.cjsonline.gov.uk
Unit 13 Lawyers
The Law Society website is at: www.lawsoc.org.uk
The Law Gazette is the official magazine of the Law Society - go to: www.lawgazette.co.uk
The Bar Council is at: www.barcouncil.org.uk
On a separate site the Bar Council provide an extensive guide to training as a barrister - go to: www.legaleducation.org.uk/Main
The Department for Constitutional Affairs site has a very useful consultation paper (published in 2003) on the future of Queen's Counsel. Look in the 'Publications section' under 'consultation papers', then 'archive' at: www.dca.gov.uk
Unit 14 Judges
The Department for Constitutional Affairs site has several very useful consultation papers (published in 2003) on reform to the appointment of judges, reforming the role of the Lord Chancellor, and reform of the Lords. Look in the 'Publications section' under 'consultation papers', then 'archive' at: www.dca.gov.uk
Unit 15 Juries
CJS online. This is a site run by the Home Office that contains a great deal of official information and links to other places. From the drop down menus in the top left corner of the home page you can access information about all aspects of the criminal justice system. For example, 'juror online' is an interesting site designed to help people who have been called up for jury service - go to: www.cjsonline.gov.uk
The Auld Report contains a 60-page review of research into juries - go to: www.criminal-courts-review.org.uk
Unit 16 Magistrates
The Magistrates Association website is well worth a look - go to: www.magistrates-association.gov.uk
Unit 17 Government-funded legal aid
The Legal Services Commission website has a detailed set of leaflets on all types of legal aid, civil and criminal. They can be found under the section 'seeking legal help' in the main menu - go to: www.legalservices.gov.uk/leaflets
Unit 21 Sentencing
The Halliday Report on sentencing policy can be found at:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs/halliday.html
Government statistics on sentencing can be found at: www.statistics.gov.uk
The Magistrates Association website is well worth a look for sentencing examples see left hand menu at: www.magistrates-association.gov.uk
