Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 18/01/2026
Subject: Law
Lesson Topic: Principles and sources of English law
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the core principles of English law, including rule of law, parliamentary sovereignty, separation of powers and doctrine of precedent.
  • Identify and differentiate the main sources of English law and their hierarchical order.
  • Explain how statutes, case law, EU/international law and equity interact in legal analysis.
  • Apply the hierarchy to resolve a conflict between sources in a hypothetical scenario.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and screen
  • PowerPoint slides summarising principles and sources
  • Handout of the hierarchy diagram (pyramid)
  • Printed excerpts of key cases (Entick v Carrington, R (Miller) v Secretary of State, R v R)
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Student worksheets for source‑analysis activity
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick poll: “Which law do you think has the most authority in the UK?” Connect this to prior learning about constitutional basics. Explain the success criteria – students will list the core principles, rank the sources, and explain how they interact.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5’) – Students write on sticky notes the source they consider highest; share responses.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – Present the four core principles and the hierarchy of sources using slides and the pyramid diagram.
  3. Guided analysis (15’) – In pairs, examine a short scenario where legislation conflicts with common law; apply the hierarchy to decide the outcome.
  4. Case‑study carousel (10’) – Groups rotate through excerpts of key cases, summarise the illustrated principle, and record findings on a worksheet.
  5. Whole‑class debrief (10’) – Discuss group findings, clarify misconceptions, and link back to the principles.
  6. Exit ticket (5’) – Students answer: “Name the top three sources in order and give one example for each.”
Conclusion:
Recap how the fundamental principles underpin the hierarchical structure and why understanding source interaction is vital for legal reasoning. Collect exit tickets as a retrieval check. For homework, assign a short article on recent UK statutory reforms and ask students to write a brief reflection on how the reforms fit into the hierarchy.