Sociology

Looking to explore and challenge how we live, and make sense of the complex and rapidly changing world? This may be the course for you. What causes crime? Why are some people rich and others struggling for money? Are men and women really equal in society today? Why have youth cultures developed since the 1950s? Sociologists study these kinds of questions in order to understand and potentially change the world we live in.

The most important reason for studying sociology today is that it is the best way of making sense of the complex and rapidly changing world. It will change your way of thinking and develop your understanding of yourself and the forces that shape your behaviour. It will allow you to question and challenge how we live and help you to understand social situations and human behaviour.

This course will provide you with the skills you will need to pursue further study in Undergraduate courses across various related fields. There will also be opportunities outside the classroom to enrich your creative learning. Such as our annual trip to Dartmoor Prison and Custody Centre, and a trip to University of Plymouth Sociology Taster Day. This course can be taken as part of several of our Career Pathways. 

There are three exam components studied across 2 years:

• Year 12 Component 1 - Socialisation, Youth Culture and Education. Component 2 - Methods of Sociological Enquiry
• Year 13 Component 3 - Social Inequality and Crime and Deviance 

Entry criteria 5 GCSE passes including at least 4 in English.

Psychology 

A two year course. This is a stimulating specification, which covers all the key areas of Psychological Investigation. A high level of motivation is vital for this demanding course. The course is split into three modules. The subject asks many interesting questions about the human mind and human behaviour. What makes the subject so interesting is the fact that you have to make up your own mind about the information and theories put before you. The key difference from GCSE is that you have to build a lot of your own ideas into the written work you produce. You also have to learn a lot of information, but the best grades are achieved by those who take an imaginative and questioning approach. We want you to take away with you a good grade, as the vast majority of our students do, but that's not all! We want you to gain knowledge that will make your life more rewarding and fulfilling and skills that will help you cope and succeed in the 21st Century. Qualities like determination, confidence, organization and self-reliance that will make you a more successful person. Experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life - Welcome to Psychology! 

There are three exam components studied across 2 years

• Year 12 Component 1 - Past to Present - Psychological approaches. Component 2 - Investigating behaviour 
• Year 13 Component 3 - Stress, Schizophrenia and Criminal Behaviour 

Entry criteria 5 GCSE passes including at least 4 in English and Maths.

Teaching Team

Mrs L. Rust-Ashford
Head of Psychology/Social Sciences

Mr J. Cole

Curriculum Summary