Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 11 Citizenship Guides

Year 11 - Citizenship

How can we hold our leaders to account?

Should the UK be called a democracy?

Unit Summary

Pupils consider what makes a democracy, they explore key features of democracy in the UK and consider how those in power are held to account.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain what the separation of powers is and how it is used to hold leaders to account.

Key Notes

  • The main branches of power in the UK are executive, legislative and judiciary.
  • The three branches perform checks and balances on each other.
  • Leaders are held accountable through debates, questioning and parliamentary inquiries.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • legislative: the law making body of the state, i.e. Parliament in the UK
  • executive: the branch of government that is responsible for putting laws or decisions into effect
  • judiciary: the branch of the state that is responsible for enforcing the law; it is composed of judges and other legal officials

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Citizens aren't able to make a difference and hold leaders accountable.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

The main branches of power in the UK are executive, legislative and judiciary. The three branches perform checks and balances on each other.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'legislative'

the law making body of the state, i.e. Parliament in the UK.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: Citizens aren't able to make a difference and hold leaders accountable. Correction: Citizens hold leaders accountable through raising concerns, participating in inquiries and contacting MPs.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 11 Citizenship guide library.