Sociology
Sociology is a popular and key part of the Humanities Faculty. It has continued to attract a high uptake at both GCSE and A- Level and has been extremely successful in ensuring its students are successful with their results, with A level students being in the top 5% of the country, according to ALPS national data.
Staff
Mr Bucho - Head of Humanities Faculty and Peer Support Coordinator. Teacher of Citizenship/Sociology and Leisure and Tourism.
Mr Thorpe- Sociology / Government and Politics and Citizenship teacher and department leader.
Location
Sociology is taught on the 1st floor within the Humanities Faculty - B1.3 (Mr Bucho) and B1.4( Mr Thorpe)
The Sociology department has a wide range of innovative resources that are user friendly and that enable students to keep abreast of current Sociological trends.
Courses
Key Stage 4:
| Exam Subject Title: |
GCSE SOCIOLOGY |
| Examination Board: |
AQA |
| Subject Code: |
4191 and 4192 |
Sociology is the study of modern day society. Society, social groups and individuals are examined using a variety of different perspectives. This course will appeal to students who are interested in and question the world/society around them.
For example, students would find the following type of questions interesting:
- What impact do our family and friends have on us?
- Why do some people succeed in the education system, and others fail? Who fails in the education system and why?
- Why is it that some young people commit crime and others do not? Do prisons work? Should alternative forms of penal punishment be considered?
- What is racism and sexism? Why does racism and sexism continue to exist? What form does racism and sexism take? Can racism and sexism be eradicated?
- Is Britain a classless society or is class still influential in determining our life chances?
Subjects studied in [Unit 1 - 4191] include:
Studying Society
Education
Families
Subjects studied in [Unit 2 - 4192] include:
Crime and Deviance
Mass Media
Power
Social Inequality
Key Stage 5
YEAR 12:
GENERAL COURSE AIMS:
The aims of the AS Sociology Course are to:
-
Acquire knowledge and a critical understanding of contemporary social processes and structures.
-
Appreciate the significance of theoretical and conceptual issues in sociological debate.
-
Understand sociological methodology and a range of research methods.
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Reflect on their own experience of the social world in which they live.
-
Develop skills which enhance their ability to participate more effectively in adult life.
COURSE CONTENT:
Sociology students cover Family, Education and Methodology.
Students study areas like family and industrialisation; family diversity; marriage and divorce; childhood; power and control. In Education, students study topics like the role of education; changing education systems; class, ethnicity and educational achievement; gender and education and pupil subculture.
Students will explore and evaluate within this unit, the many methods sociologists use to find out about the real world.
Throughout the course students deepen their knowledge base; develop interpretive, analytical, evaluative and application skills.
YEAR13:
GENERAL COURSE AIMS:
Having completed the AS Sociology Course, students will now be able to demonstrate:
COURSE CONTENT:
A2 Sociology students cover Sociology of Religion ; Crime and Deviance .
In the Sociology of Religion, students study the influence of Religion on society; New Religious Movements, gender, feminism and religion; Religion and ethnicity and secularisation.
Within the study of Crime and Deviance, students examine topics like suicide; control theories; policing, punishment and control; strain and sub-cultural theory; critical criminology and labelling theory. Students will continue to develop synoptic links throughout Crime and Deviance.
Enrichment Opportunities
Students are privelaged to have had highly regarded Sociologists visit and give presentations (ie Stephen Ball on Education in the UK) as well as key individuals involved in areas that affect how Society functions (ie Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights commission). The Sociology department has also arranged visits to important seminars to maximise both their learning experience and GCSE/ A level grade.
