How is the UK Government organised?
I can describe the structure of the Government in the UK and explain some of the job roles within it.
How is the UK Government organised?
I can describe the structure of the Government in the UK and explain some of the job roles within it.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The UK Government has three main branches: legislative, executive and judiciary.
- The Cabinet is chosen by the PM. It leads government departments and makes key decisions on government policies.
- The Civil Service and arm's-length bodies implement policies made by the Government.
- Ministers are appointed to their roles in the Government by the monarch, after being handpicked by the PM.
- Civil servants and public sector workers are employed after a hiring process.
Keywords
Government - the group of people with the authority to govern a country; in the UK, the Government is chosen and led by the Prime Minister (PM)
Cabinet - a group of senior MPs who lead major government departments; the Cabinet meets weekly to make decisions about how government policy will be carried out
Common misconception
Civil servants and public sector workers make political decisions.
Civil servants and other public sector workers are neutral professionals who work to implement government policies and decisions made by elected ministers, but they do not make political decisions themselves.
To help you plan your year 8 citizenship lesson on: How is the UK Government organised?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 citizenship lesson on: How is the UK Government organised?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 3 citizenship lessons from the How does the political system work in the UK? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
organised group with similar beliefs on how society should be run
a concept that models political beliefs and ideologies as a continuum
when people vote to choose their leaders or representatives
Exit quiz
6 Questions
the group in charge of running the country
senior ministers who lead government departments
hired workers who help carry out government policies
legislative branch responsible for discussing, debating & passing laws
executive branch: responsible for day-to-day running of the country
judicial branch: responsible for legal fairness and serving justice