Mission statement

Sociology provides students with the exciting opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the world around them, challenging them to reflect on and evaluate social issues that are often relevant to their own experiences

We teach Sociology so that students can acquire knowledge and a critical understanding of contemporary social processes and social changes. They have the opportunity to develop a broad set of skills including the ability to analyse, formulate clear, logical arguments and evaluate a range of theoretical perspectives. Developing strong thinking skills and being able to consider issues with a global outlook will be of huge benefit to the students moving forward whether this is in further education, the workplace or society in general.

Curriculum Map: This link allows you to see when topics may be covered; this is a guide for information only and has the potential to change as the year progresses.

Year 12 Sociology: 

• The first component introduces students to the key themes of socialization, culture and identity and develops these themes through the context of youth subcultures. These options develop skills that enable individuals to focus on their personal identity, roles and responsibilities within society and develop a lifelong interest in social issues.
• The second component explores the methods of sociological enquiry and develops knowledge and understanding of contemporary social processes and social change in the context of social inequity and difference. This component aims to foster the development of critical and reflective thinking with a respect for social diversity in terms of social class, gender, ethnicity and age. It develops links between the nature of sociological thought and methods of sociological enquiry.

Year 13 Sociology: 

• Contemporary and global debates are introduced through a compulsory topic of ‘Globalisation and the digital social world’ in Section A, whilst Section B explores them in more depth from a detailed study of crime and deviance, The third component focuses on debates in contemporary society through a detailed study of crime and deviance. This component introduces a global dimension, with reference to patterns and trends. It aims to give an understanding of different theoretical approaches to the study of crime and deviance.

A Level Sociology is assessed by exam at the end of the two-year course. Students will sit three papers. Paper one is one hour and 30 minutes, paper two is two hours and fifteen minutes and paper three is also two hours and fifteen minute long. All students receive their own copy of the accredited text book as well as a revision book on each of the three papers. They keep these for the two years and hand them back at the end of the course. These are a very important resource and all the books we use have been accredited by the exam board which is OCR.

Sociology opens your mind to what’s really going on in society and gave me a much better awareness of people and their beliefs. It makes you see the world from very different perspectives.

- Year 13 student