Sociology

The Sociology curriculum at WGS

The Sociology curriculum at Wood Green aims to help students:

  • Change the way they see the world in order to challenge the ‘common sense’ assumptions about society they have grown up with.
  • Create a sense of awe and wonder about the cultural diversity in the UK and around the world and celebrate the differences in humankind.
  • Understand the forces of social change that are shaping their lives and have changed society in the past.
  • Develop an ability to debate complex and controversial ideas in a calm and thoughtful manner
  • Understand the type of social inequalities that exist in society and develop a desire to find out why they happen and a desire to want to eradicate them.

 

A level

A level

More detail on the A level curriculum can be found here:

https://sway.office.com/vHrpHwRHbORrD3Ey?ref=Link

 

SOCIOLOGY OCR H580

SOCIALISATION, CULTURE AND IDENTITY

In this topic, we discover how we learn the culture of our society and how the influences around us shape our identity. In order to illustrate how this social process works, we study the role of the media in shaping our views of different social groups and the impact the media has on our behaviour.

Topics Covered

  • What is culture?
  • What is socialisation?
  • What is identity?
  • How are different social groups represented in the media?
  • What effect do the media have on audiences?

Assessment

A one-and-a-half-hour exam with three extended answer questions on ‘Culture, Socialisation and Identity’ and three extended answers on the ‘Mass Media’.

 

RESEARCHING AND UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL INEQUALITIES

In this topic, we learn how sociologist carry out research into the social world. To illustrate this, we look at the research into inequality in the UK focusing on gender, ethnicity, class and age and look at sociological explanations for this.

Topics Covered

  • What is the relationship between theory and methods?
  • What are the main stages of the research process?
  • Which methods are used in sociological research?
  • What are the main patterns and trends in social inequality and difference?
  • How can patterns and trends in social inequality and difference be explained?

Assessment

A two and a quarter hour exam paper with four extended answers responding to an unseen source on ‘Research methods’ and another two extended answers on ‘Social inequalities’.

 

DEBATES IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

In this topic, we look at two areas of the modern world that cause controversy and debate. One of these is globalisation and the digital social world where we study the impact of the internet and social media on society around the world. We also look at the education system in the UK and discuss what role of education is, how the education system in the UK has changed over time and why there are such inequalities of outcomes for students across the system.

Topics Covered

  • What is the relationship between globalisation and digital forms of communication?
  • What is the impact of digital forms of communication in a global context?
  • What is the role of education in society?
  • What are the patterns and trends of educational inequalities?
  • How can differential educational achievement be explained?
  • How has the UK education system changed?

Assessment

A two-and-a-quarter-hour exam with three extended answer questions on ‘Culture, Socialisation and Identity’ and three extended answers on the ‘Mass Media’.

 

A level Sociology specification

http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-sociology-h180-h580- from-2015/

 

Sociology A level revision resources can be found here:

https://www.wgswitney.org.uk/learning/how-to-revise