Exam Board: AQA
Level: 2

Course Overview

GCSE Sociology helps students to gain knowledge and understanding of key social structures, processes and issues through the study of families, education, crime and deviance and social stratification. Students will develop their analytical, assimilation and communication skills by comparing and contrasting perspectives on a variety of social issues, constructing reasoned arguments, making substantiated judgements and drawing reasoned conclusions.

Curriculum Content

Paper 1: the sociology of families and education

• Families: what is a family? How do different sociological perspectives view families? What changes are taking place in family structures? What are the changing patterns of marriage, divorce and lone-parent families?

• Education: what are the roles of education? How do functionalists view the role of education? What is the relationship between education and capitalism? What are the factors and processes within schools affecting educational achievement? 

Paper 2: the sociology of crime and deviance and social stratification

• Crime and deviance: how is crime socially constructed? What is social control and how sociologists explain it? What are the factors affecting criminal and deviant behaviour? How useful are the data on crime?

• Social stratification: how do functionalists explain stratification? How do different sociological perspectives view socio-economic class? What are the different sociological views on factors affecting life chances? What are the different interpretations of poverty as a social  issue? What are the different sociological views on power and authority and power and relationships?

Research methods is covered in both papers:

• How do sociologists conduct research? What are the advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses of a particular method for a specific area of research? What is  the process of research design for a specific area of research, including practical difficulties and ethical issues? What is the purpose of using various primary and secondary sources for a specific area of research? How can different forms of data be interpreted? 

Assessment: 100% Examination

Term 1:

• Introduction to sociological theories: how do different sociological theories explain or understand society?

• Research methods: how do sociologists conduct research? What is the process of research design, including practical issues?

Term 2:

• Families:  what is a family? How do different sociological perspectives view families? 

• Research methods: how do sociologists conduct research? What is the process of research design, including practical and ethical issues?What are the advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses of a particular method for a specific area of research?

Term 3:

• Families: What changes are taking place in family structures?

• Research methods: What are the advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses of a particular method for a specific area of research?

Term 4:

• Families: What are the changing patterns of marriage, divorce and lone-parent families?

• Research methods: What is the purpose of using various primary and secondary sources for a specific area of research? How can different forms of data be interpreted? 

Term 5:

• Education:what are the roles of education? How do functionalists view the role of education? What is the relationship between education and capitalism

Term 6: 

• Education:What are the factors and processes within schools affecting educational achievement?

Exam Board: AQA
Level: 3

Course Overview

Sociology is the study of society and looks at how everyday experiences shape our lives. In particular, students will study patterns of behaviour within social groups and how social institutions can have an impact on behaviour.  The focus of the course will be on UK issues, but there will also be a strong emphasis on societies and issues across the globe, for students to develop a critical awareness and respect for social diversity and social issues within society.

Assessment: 100% examination.

• What does each sociological perspective bring to our understanding of society? 

• How do different theories explain the relationship between the family, social structures and social change? 

• What factors play a role in the choice of research and research method when studying topics?

• What are various ways in researching a topic - and what are strengths and weaknesses of these?

• How have social policies had an impact on the family?

• How have changing patterns in marriage, cohabitation, divorce and    childbearing impacted on the family?

• What gender roles, domestic labour and power relationships exist within contemporary family life?

• What is the relationship between positivism, interpretivism and sociological methods?

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative and quantitative research methods?

• What is the nature of childhood and changes in the status of children in the family?

• How have demographic changes impacted on the family?

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative and quantitative research methods?

• What do theoretical perspectives argue about the roles and functions of education?

• What are different educational policies that have been introduced and the impact of them on students’ experiences

• How has globalisation had an impact on the education system and educational    policies?

• What are the relationships and processes within schools and the impact of these on schooling and pupils?

• What are the patterns and explanations of achievement for different social groups?

• What is the usefulness of various research methods in the context of education?

• What are different sociological perspectives’ view on society and their usefulness?

• To what extent can and should sociology be a science?

• To what extent can and should sociology be value-free?

• In what ways has Sociology had an impact on social policy?

 

• What is the use and significance of the new media

• What are different sociological perspectives’ views on who owns and controls the media?

• How has globalisation had an impact on crime?

• What is the relationship between the media and crime?

• How can crime and deviance be controlled, prevented and punished?

• How are different social groups represented in contemporary media outlets?

• How does the media affect the audience?

• How is crime and deviance measured?

• What are the patterns and explanations of offending for different social groups?

• What is the relationship between the media, globalisation and popular culture?

• What has an impact on the selection and presentation of the news?

• How do different sociological perspectives explain crime and deviance?

• AQA Sociology: Sociology for AQA Volume 1: AS and 1st-Year A Level, 5th Edition written by Ken Browne

• Sociology for AQA Volume 2: 2nd-Year A Level, 3rd Edition, written by Ken Browne

• AQA A Level Sociology Student Book 1 (Collins AQA A Level Sociology) by Steve Chapman

• AQA A Level Sociology Student Book 2 (Collins AQA A Level Sociology) by Steve Chapman

A Level revision will take place at lunch times and after school throughout the year.