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Social Sciences Intent
Criminology Curriculum Map Health & Social Care Curriculum Map
Psychology Curriculum Map Sociology Curriculum Map
Our curriculum empowers students with the knowledge, skills and values needed to thrive in a rapidly changing, interconnected world while contributing meaningfully to society. It aims to help students develop into confident adults who will be ready to take on the challenges of life in today’s ever-changing society. We give students the opportunity to become subject ambassadors where they can develop their leadership and communication skills by supporting their peers in lessons or in afterschool clubs. Social Science students learn to deal with the challenges of the subjects and the topics covered. When a topic is challenging, students build resilience by motivating themselves and reflecting on where they are struggling and look to the end gain, rather than the obstacles. For example, during the psychology course students learn about self-efficacy and growth and fixed mindset and the benefits of self-motivation.
In the Social Sciences, we sequence our teaching to facilitate the gradual development of knowledge, skills, and critical thinking. This approach helps students to build a strong foundation before moving on to more complex concepts. Key concepts are revisited and discussed regularly, this is important to embed learning into new and existing schemas, which are essential for learning. The curriculum equips students with the relevant knowledge and skills to empower them to be successful in both examinations at GCSE and A Level and in their future careers.
Throughout the psychology and sociology courses (GCSE and A level) students are given chances to develop practical skills by carrying out psychological and sociological experiments based on topics in the courses, these are either carried out in the classroom with their peers and/or using students from different year groups, on occasion student’s carryout experiments around the school. When planning to carryout experiments students must think about possible ethical issues and how they will overcome them. Carrying out practical’s help students develop problem solving and higher order thinking skills, including developing they mathematical skills for analysing their results using psychological and sociological methods. Throughout the courses students must think holistically, looking at how topics link and how to apply the links to other theories and topics.
Social Sciences courses are in a growing careers sector, with the increase in demand for Mental Health provision and support for Social Care and education, the need for more Educational and Clinical Psychologists, it is vital that we prepare students to fulfil this career need. The Social Sciences subjects offers students the foundation in their learning to then take it through GCSE to A Level, college and onto university. More students are going onto university to read a Social Sciences subject which can prepare students for diverse career paths.