Welcome to the SOCIOLOGY Department
What will I study?
Students will study 2 topics and sit 2 exams at the end of Year 11, one for each topic.
Understanding Social Processes
This topic focuses how human beings acquire their identity by looking at such things as the roles of family, values, status and cultural diversity. It also examines the role of the media, education and peer pressure in creating our identities. It also looks at what family is, the nuclear and extended family, single sex families and other family forms including China’s one-child policy, polygamy and arranged marriages. It continues by researching changes in social norms and economic factors including the boomerang generation.
Understanding Social Structures
In this topic students will get the opportunity to look at equality and inequality by focusing on crime, wealth, health, family, work, and media. Other factors will cover sexism, ageism and homophobia. Poverty as a social issue is also examined, as is crime and deviance.
Research plays a big part in both studies incorporating pilot studies, sampling techniques and analysis of data.
How is the course taught?
- By looking at different aspects of society in detail with teacher led learning alongside independent study
- By introducing the student to research methods and encouraging them to examine information and further
evidence gathering - By discussion and debate and challenging what we learn
- By developing literacy and numeracy skills
- By developing ICT skills
How the Sociology department helps students
Students are offered personal tuition and help after school by teachers and are able to come along to revision sessions to improve GCSE exam technique. Weekly exam questions are also set as Independent Learning to further improve exam skills.
- A revision guide will also be provided by the Sociology department at a small cost.
- Why study Sociology GCSE?
- To develop a wide range of knowledge and understanding about the society in which we live
- To understand how societies are made
- To see the importance of social institutions such as class, sex, age and race
- To understand how our attitudes affect our actions, influences and opportunities
- To make wise decisions today and better plan the future
- To understand and appreciate the great variety of people we meet in life
- To learn how research is carried out
- To establish vital skills such as literacy and research skills to enhance employment opportunities