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Sociology
Sociology is the scientific study of society, including patterns of social behaviours and relationships, social interaction, culture, organisation and institutions. As a discipline it embraces a variety of viewpoints all of which, however, share the common pursuit of increasing our understanding of the social world and places the individual within a social context. It is a social science that uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about society and social change.
Year 9
In Year 9 students focus on three key topics. These are an introduction to sociology, families and education. Students will be introduced to key sociological theories including Marxism, Functionalism, New Right and Feminism. Pupils will reflect on the impact these ideas have had on the change in society and develop an investigative approach in questioning and uncovering sociological truths and myths.
Our students will learn to evaluate the different sociological theories and discover whether these theories offer good arguments for how our society is. They will look at modern and old theories and see how they apply to an ever-changing sociological environment. They will also analyse and evaluate the limitations of each theory, their similarities and differences. This will be crucial in ensuring they are well prepared for the exam at the end of Year 11.
Year 10 & 11
In Year 10 and 11 pupils will learn three new topics from the GCSE course: sociological issues facing the UK in the 21st century; issues surrounding crime and deviance; and social research. They will reflect and evaluate on the impact these ideas have on society as a whole. They will learn to challenge opinions and attitudes in the light of their prior learning in Year 9. We aim to not only promote their academic ability in this subject but also enable them to reflect and contribute in a positive way to our ever-changing society and global community.
We seek to develop well-rounded students who are able to construct well-argued, well-informed, balanced sociological arguments. Our students will be able to demonstrate key sociological knowledge in depth and speak and write confidently about the different topics they study.
