The purpose of our Psychology curriculum is to inspire students in the understanding of the mind and behaviour. We aim to secure strong academic outcomes alongside a discovery of new and thought-provoking areas of study. Our students enjoy challenge, show curiosity and resilience when faced with psychological questions. Our aim is to produce Psychologists of the future who are going to influence the community around them in their later lives. They must be curious and know how their work is applicable to the wider world. Our curriculum encourages and facilitates further studies or potential careers in the subject, whilst empowering students to have a greater appreciation and awareness of Psychology related issues in the world around them.
The Psychology curriculum at Wood Green School has been carefully designed so that students’ knowledge – both substantive and disciplinary – becomes more broad and more sophisticated as they progress through the course. By exploring a wide range of topics, students can find areas of interest which will raise their confidence and encourage them to embrace a growth mindset. The Psychology curriculum involves students learning about key psychological approaches across history and considering the applications psychology has had to society. Our curriculum promotes resilience, independence, and organisation. At Key Stage 5 students progress through eleven topic areas, including research methods, social influence, memory, attachment, psychopathology, and approaches. We look at some specific topics in greater depth during year two of study. These include issues and debates, schizophrenia, gender, and forensic psychology. Each topic involves the study of key theories and studies which students must describe, apply, and evaluate.
Our learners become scientifically literate; able to articulate their knowledge and thinking in many ways. We are keen to develop outstanding scientists who can plan, complete, and evaluate a practical from beginning to end. They become skilled in a wide range of research methods and will be able to select the correct method for the relevant research questions. They will develop the necessary mathematical skills to analyse findings collected using a broad range of research methods.
Alongside learning a variety of new key terms and concepts, students will have to apply this knowledge and evaluate studies and theories. A good psychologist has a clear understanding of the core concepts and can use this knowledge to apply it to a wide range of situations both practically and written. We are committed to ensuring all students have high aspirations and provide support and provision to ensure all can succeed. We have used the strong subject expertise within the department to ensure inclusivity - that all students are able to access and understand even the most complex of concepts. For example, as Psychology is a new subject for most students in Year 12, we want them to have a good understanding of the basics of the scientific discipline, so we start with Issues, Debates and Research Methods. We revisit and build on knowledge as students’ progress throughout the A Level course. Our curriculum also ensures that students’ disciplinary knowledge develops in an equally advanced way. For example, students will begin evaluating psychological research through consideration of validity and reliability and progress to consideration of features of science, ethical issues, social implications and/or bias, practical applications, and usefulness of research. They will develop their ability to think like psychologists, thinking critically, analysing the evidence, and asking inquisitive questions.
We use the principles of cognitive science in the planning of our curriculum, to ensure that students develop bodies of knowledge through revisiting key concepts in different contexts. Each element of the curriculum has been carefully sequenced to aid the acquisition and remembering of this content and through this, students will be enabled in their learning - to think metacognitively. Finally, although outcomes are very important, we know that teaching to the test is counterproductive in developing knowledge and understanding. Our curriculum is therefore enriched by a wealth of cultural capital – the glue which helps the core content to stick. For example, while students are studying Social Influence, they will consider the dire consequences of extreme obedience and conformity, through real-life examples such as the Holocaust, Abu Ghraib prison scandal and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Section A: Social Influence
Section B: Memory
Section C: Attachment
Section D: Psychopathology
Section A: Approaches in Psychology
Section B: Biopsychology
Section C: Research Methods
Section A: Issues and Debates in Psychology
Section B: Relationships
Section C: Schizophrenia
Section D: Forensic Psychology
A level Psychology specification
Psychology A level revision resources
