Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level Law (YLA1)
Study legal principles, the English legal system and the application of law to disputes and real-life contexts.
Specification Issue 4, November 2021
Course structure and assessment routes
- A linear IAL qualification: both compulsory papers must be completed in the same exam series. There is no separate IAS award or modular W-unit route in this specification.
Main syllabus content
- Nature and purpose of law
- Justice, morality and legal theories
- Parliamentary and judicial law-making
- Legal dispute resolution
- Application of legal principles and civil/criminal consequences
Use Syllabus for the topic checklist. Where the qualification offers options, follow your chosen route rather than treating every option as compulsory.
YLA1 assessment structure
Use the route above to identify which components you take. Marks below are raw marks; the stated weightings determine their contribution to the award.
YLA1/01
Underlying Principles of Law and the English Legal System
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Marks
- 100
- Weighting
- 50% IAL
YLA1/02
The Law in Action
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Marks
- 100
- Weighting
- 50% IAL
Key assessment information
- Both papers are externally assessed, each with five compulsory 20-mark questions. Follow the specification’s rules on when changes in law become assessable; this study overview is not legal advice.
Official sources and verification
Checked 2026-09-04 against the official YLA1 syllabus/specification (PDF). Specification Issue 4, November 2021.
Source PDF pages: 13, 18, 19. PDF page positions may differ from printed page numbers.
IGCSEfy is an independent study aid. Check the full official document and your exam-paper instructions, especially exam-year options, equipment and centre arrangements. Older archive papers may follow an earlier syllabus.