Sociology

GCSE Sociology in Year 10 & 11

Course Leader: Mrs L Chapman
Contact email: lchapman@tgschool.net
Exam board: AQA GCSE Sociology - 8192

Assessment: Two examinations, 1 hour 45 mins each. A range of short and extended responses.
Paper 1: The sociology of families and education.
Paper 2: The sociology of crime and deviance and social stratification.

Why should I study Sociology?

Sociology is the study of people, relationships and the world we live in. If you choose GCSE Sociology, you’ll start to understand why people think and behave the way they do.

You’ll explore how wider society impacts you and the people around you, considering questions like:
-    How much of our lives do we control, and how much is shaped by the society we’re born into?
-    Is the way our society is organised genuinely fair for everyone, or does it work better for some groups than others?
-    How do inequalities in society affect people’s chances in life?

You’ll also look at small‑scale interactions, such as how teachers, friends or family can shape your identity through processes like labelling.

Sociology opens your mind to new perspectives. You’ll learn about different political and social ideas (including Marxism, Feminism, Functionalism and Realism) and discover how each one explains the world in a different way. This helps you to be more open minded to other people’s views of society.You won’t just learn these views; you’ll criticise them, debate them, and develop your own informed opinions.

Many students choose sociology because they care about people and want to understand how society could change for the better. For example, you’ll examine issues like racism, sexism and class inequality, and consider how society might become more equal. You’ll study the criminal justice system, explore why crime happens, and question whether our current approaches actually work. 

By studying sociology, you’ll learn to question assumptions, think critically, communicate clearly and understand people better — skills that are valuable in everyday life and highly respected by employers. Sociology is a great foundation for careers in law, policing, teaching, journalism, social work, healthcare, public services and academic research.

What you’ll study

Sociology covers such a wide range of topics, that there is always something new to learn. These topics aren’t abstract, they connect directly to your life, your school, your community and the world you see online.

●    Education: Why do some students achieve more than others? How do teachers, school policies and social class shape your experience of school?
●    Families: How have families changed over time? What do feminists think about families? What roles do parents play in families? How has divorce changed over time?
●    Crime and Deviance: Why do people commit crime? How effective is prison? Are some groups more likely to be labelled as a criminal and why? Who is more likely to be a victim of crime and why?
●    Social Stratification: How do class, gender and ethnicity affect people’s life chances? Why does inequality still exist?
●    Sociological Research Methods: How do sociologists actually study society? You’ll learn how to design questionnaires, interviews and observations — and how to judge whether research is trustworthy.

Above all, Sociology will make you think - about why you act the way you do, what kind of world you live in, and what you want your place in it to be.