| Term 1 | Introduction to Sociology, Research Methods and Education | |
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| Teacher 1 - Students will begin by studying some of the main sociological theories to get an introductory knowledge, which will help them throughout the rest of their sociological studies. These will include: functionalism, Marxism, feminism and the New Right. Students will then begin learning the 'Education' unit, starting with 'The role of education'. This involves considering the functionalist, Marxist and New Right perspectives of the function of education in society.
Teacher 2 - Students will begin studying the topic ‘Research Methods’. They will study how sociologists research key issues in sociology using the research methods: questionnaires, interviews and observations. Students will also study some classic pieces of sociological research which have used these methods. |
| Assessment: Students will be assessed with 4 assessments. One short answers assessment on the introduction to sociology theories, one essay set for homework on 'questionnaires' and two timed 10 mark questions. | Key Words and Terms |
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| Term 2 | Education, Research Methods & Families and Households | |
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| Teacher 1: Students will continue with the 'Education' topic beginning with looking at the issues of gender and educational achievement, differences in subject choice between boys and girls and the impact that education has on gender identity. Students will then move on to class differences in educational achievement, and consider why those from poorer backgrounds do less well in education. Students will examine sociological reasons for this including material and cultural deprivation.
Teacher 2: Students will continue the Research Methods unit by learning how sociologists use experiments, official statistics and other secondary sources to research a range of sociological issues including the strengths and weaknesses of each of these methods. Students will then begin to study the third key unit of ‘Families and Households’. Students will consider the role of the family and the functionalist and Marxist, feminist and personal life perspectives. |
| Assessment: Students will be assessed by fortnightly timed assessments. Some will be short (up to 10 marks) while others will be longer and involve a full paper reflecting the real exam of 50 marks. | Key Words and Terms |
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| Term 3 | Education & Families and Households | |
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| Teacher 1: Students will complete their studies on class differences in educational achievement, with a focus on in-school factors such as labelling. A study of ethnic differences in educational achievement and school experience follows; this will involve considering why some ethnic groups do better than others with a particular focus on external (out of school) factors.
Teacher 2: Learning will then be focused on ‘Couples’. This involves looking at debate of the division of domestic tasks in the household between men and women and whether this is now equal or not. Students will also look at the issue of power and domestic violence in the household. Students will then begin to study the topic of ‘Childhood’. This will involve considering different historical and cultural views on how ‘Childhood’ should be defined and experienced. This will lead into a debate on whether childhood has improved over the last 100 years. |
| Assessment: Students will begin the term with their first set of formal assessments. There will be a large timed assessment involving research methods and education worth 80 marks. Students will then be assessed by fortnightly timed assessments. Some will be short (up to 10 marks) while others will be longer. | Key Words and Terms |
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| Term 4 | Education & Families and Households | |
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| Teacher 1: Students will complete the study of ethnic differences in educational achievement with a particular focus on internal (in-school) factors. Students will then study the last section of the education unit which is about educational policy. Students will learn about the history of the education system and impact of policy changes with a focus on 1988 onwards.
Teacher 2: Students will then study the topic of ‘Changing family patterns’. This involves looking at trends in marriage, divorce, singlehood, childbearing, and same sex relationships. We will assess the sociological reasons put forward for these changes including changes in law and social attitudes. Students will then study ‘Demography’, looking at changes in the UK population including birth and death rates, the ageing population and migration. |
| Assessment: Students will continue to be assessed fortnightly by completing some 10 mark questions and some full exam style papers worth 40 marks for Families and Households and 50 marks for Education. | Key Words and Terms |
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| Term 5 | Methods in Context (education) & Families and Households | |
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| Teacher 1: Learning will then focus on the final aspect of year 1 which is ‘Methods in Context’. This involves looking back at students learning of research methods in term 1 and refreshing knowledge from the education unit in terms 2 and 3. Students will learn to apply the research methodologies to studying educational issues. They will develop the skill of application by considering the strengths and weaknesses of each method in relation to studying education.
Teacher 2: Learning will focus on the topic of ‘family diversity’; looking at how the shape and size of families have changed in the last 100 years or so. Students will then complete the 'Families and Households' unit by examining social policy in relation to families and households. |
| Assessment: Students will continue to be assessed fortnightly by completing some 10 mark questions and some full exam style papers worth 40 marks for Families and Households and 50 marks for Education. | Key Words and Terms |
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| Term 6 | Theory in sociology | |
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| Students will prepare for and sit their end of year in exams in this term. Following this, both teachers will focus on 'Theory in sociology'.
Teacher 1: Students will learn how the theories of functionalism and Marxism that they they are already familiar with, consider society as a whole.
Teacher 2: Students will consider the differing feminist views of society as a whole followed by the study of the relationship between sociology and social policy. |
| Assessment: Students will sit their end of year exams in this term. For sociology, this will be a full paper 1 - Education with Methods in Context (2 hours) and half of paper 2 - Families & Households (1 hour). | Key Words and Terms |
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