Term 5: Introductory Topics: Family and Households.
The course involves studying some of the main sociological perspectives which include: functionalism, Marxism, feminism and the New Right. Students will gain an insight into the two core themes outlined in the AQA specification: socialisation, culture and identity and social differentiation, power and stratification. This introductory knowledge underpins the key concepts and theories then studied throughout the two year course.
Students will then develop their knowledge of these perspectives in relation to ‘Families and Households’ which is to the first ‘topic in Sociology’. Students will be studying from AQA A Level Sociology Paper 2. Here, they will learn about the different family types in the UK and explore the relationship of the family to the social structure and social change, with particular reference to the economy and to state policies.
Students will initially be assessed by a range of short answer questions to build up their knowledge and understanding of key concepts and sociological perspectives. Students will then be assessed on your through extended writing through ‘outline and explain’ 10 mark questions based on the first question they will tackle on the AQA A Level Sociology Paper 2 exams. Assessed essays will be given fortnightly when the Families and Households unit has begun.
Develop the individual:
Students will understand the role they play as an individual in society.
Create a supportive community:
Students will learn about how institutions support social cohesion.
Term 2: Families and Households
Students will continue with the Family and Households unit focusing on the relationship of the family to the social structure and social change, with particular reference to the economy and to state policies integrated with the developed understanding of functionalism, Marxism and the New Right. You will then develop knowledge on gender roles, domestic labour and power relationships within the family in contemporary society focusing on the feminist perspective.
Students will be assessed by a range of extended writing through the ‘applying material from Item’ 10 mark analysis questions based on the second question in the AQA A Level Sociology Paper 2 exams. Assessed essays will be given fortnightly when the Families and Households unit has begun. Students will continue to be assessed weekly by a range of short answer questions to build up knowledge and understanding of key concepts and sociological perspectives.
Develop the individual:
Students will understand the need to be personally informed about different structures within our society that can impact them directly.
Create a supportive community:
Students will explore how social policies effect our daily lives and the importance of understanding the different groups within society.
Term 3: Families and Households
You will continue to with the Family and Households unit focusing on the relationship the changing patterns of marriage, cohabitation, separation, divorce, childbearing and the life course, including the sociology of personal life, and the diversity of contemporary family and household structures. You will then develop your knowledge and understanding of the nature of childhood, and changes in the status of children in the family and society. You will complete the Families and Households section by analysing the demographic trends in the United Kingdom since 1900: birth rates, death rates, family size, life expectancy, ageing population, and migration and globalisation.
You will be assessed by a range of extended writing through the ‘applying material from Item’ 20 mark evaluation questions based on the third question you will tackle on you AQA A Level Sociology Paper 2 exams. Assessed essays will be given fortnightly. You will continue be assessed weekly by a range of short answer questions to build up your knowledge and understanding of key concepts and sociological perspectives.
Develop the individual:
Students will understand the need to be personally informed about different structures within our society that can impact them directly.
Create a supportive community:
Students will understand the changing nature of family life in the UK and thus have a greater appreciation of diversity within UK society.
Term 4: Education with Theory and Methods
You will begin the unit by exploring some of the different research methods including: quantitative and qualitative methods of research; research design; sources of data, including questionnaires, interviews, participant and non-participant observation, experiments, documents and official statistics; and the distinction between primary and secondary data, and between quantitative and qualitative data. You will then develop your knowledge of the different perspectives and core themes in relation to the ‘Education’ unit starting with the role and functions of the education system, including its relationship to the economy and to class structure.
You will be assessed by a range short answer and extended writing exam style questions. Assessed essays will be given fortnightly. You will continue be assessed weekly by a range of short answer questions to build up your knowledge and understanding of key concepts and sociological perspectives.
Develop the individual:
Students will understand the need to be personally informed about different structures within our society that can impact them directly. They will reflect on their own educational experiences directly.
Create a supportive community:
Students will understand the role education plays in promoting social cohesion and social mobility.
Term 1: Education with Theory and Methods
You will exploring the Education unit focusing on differential educational achievement of social groups by social class, gender and ethnicity in contemporary society; and the relationships and processes within schools, with particular reference to teacher/pupil relationships, pupil identities and subcultures, the hidden curriculum, and the organisation of teaching and learning. You will also study the theoretical, practical and ethical considerations influencing choice of topic, choice of method(s) and the conduct of research.
You will be assessed by a range short answer and extended writing exam style questions. Assessed essays will be given fortnightly. You will continue be assessed weekly by a range of short answer questions to build up your knowledge and understanding of key concepts and sociological perspectives.
Develop the individual:
Students will understand the need to be personally informed about different structures within our society that can impact them directly.
Create a supportive community:
Students will reflect on how individual experiences influence what we choose to investigate and how, demonstrating what we place more value on in society.
Term 6: Education with Theory and Methods
You will complete the Education unit with the study of the significance of educational policies, including policies of selection, marketisation and privatisation, and policies to achieve greater equality of opportunity or outcome, for an understanding of the structure, role, impact and experience of and access to education; the impact of globalisation on educational policy. You will also analyse the following topics: consensus, conflict, structural and social action theories; the concepts of modernity and post-modernity in relation to sociological theory; the nature of science and the extent to which Sociology can be regarded as scientific; the relationship between theory and methods; debates about subjectivity, objectivity and value freedom; the relationship between Sociology and social policy.
You will be assessed by a range short answer and extended writing exam style questions. Assessed essays will be given fortnightly. You will continue be assessed weekly by a range of short answer questions to build up your knowledge and understanding of key concepts and sociological perspectives. You will also sit a formal mock this term.
Develop the individual:
Students will reflect on how their sense of self has been influenced by globalisation.
Create a supportive community:
Students will reflect on how globalisation has enabled UK society to become more diverse.