LW0ELS: Introduction to English Legal System

Module code: LW0ELS

Module provider: School of Law

Credits: 20

Level: F

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Mrs Shweta Band, email: s.band@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 9 June 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module equips students with a strong foundation for undergraduate law study, combining core knowledge of the English Legal System with essential academic and professional skills. Students explore key areas such as the structure and sources of law, the court system, statutory interpretation, judicial precedent, and the role of institutions, alongside contemporary legal issues in practice.

Through interactive, issue-led workshops, the module develops skills in legal research, case and statute analysis, academic writing, and effective communication. Students are encouraged to think critically about the role and impact of law in society.

Specific topics may change on a yearly basis.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Understand the key institutions and principles of the English Legal System.
2. Engage critically with current legal debates.
3. Develop and apply legal research, academic writing, interpretation of sources and critical thinking skills to analyse contemporary case-studies.
4. Communicate clear, concise legal arguments and conclusions.

Module content

The module content will remain of enduring importance throughout your law degree. Following is an indicative list of topics covered: Introduction to some basic principles of the constitution- parliamentary sovereignty, the rule of law, separation of powers. These principles provide a background to a more detailed study of the English legal system: Sources of Law, the Legislative Process, Statutory Interpretation, Court Hierarchy and Judicial Precedent. This knowledge will be supplemented by exploring critical debates on contemporary issues on topics such as the Human Rights Act 1998, diversity in the legal profession and Magistrates, Juries and Sentencing in criminal trials.

The module also embeds skills training sessions and interactive workshops with hands-on activities to develop key transferrable skills essential for studying law and for the legal profession. These sessions will be developed and delivered collaboratively by the Module Convenor and the UoR central services teams. Topics include Library & Legal Research Skills, Critical Thinking and Academic Writing and Referencing for Law, Life Tools Session on Managing Overwhelm and Imposter Syndrome.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

There will be a 2-hour lecture per week (total 22 hours), six 2-hour workshops fortnightly (total 12 hours).

In the workshops there will be a focus on formative activities (for example including debates, problem questions, group presentations) based on contemporary issues and challenges in the English Legal System. Students will need to prepare for the workshop activities in advance and may require to bring homework to the relevant workshop. We will be encouraging questions and peer review from the observing students. There is an expectation of whole-class participation.

Study hours

At least 34 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Mock presentations and essay plan based on the summative presentation titles and coursework question respectively (week 7 and 9).

Reassessment

Additional costs