Curriculum Lead

Mr A Hoque - Assistant Principal, Key Stage 4 Lead.

Curriculum Principles & Intent

• To develop a passion for understanding the causes of human behaviour, psyche and motivation.
• To appreciate the relevance of psychology in all areas of life, whether it is family, colleagues or strangers, individuals or crowds that they will encounter throughout their lives.
• To develop a sense of morality and ethical practice that will influence the treatment of others and appreciate the social responsibility that can often accompany having a greater insight into human behaviour than most.
• To raise an awareness of abnormal psychology such as depression, schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder so that students have a better understanding of their own and other people, be it friends, family members or future colleague’s experiences and respond with empathy and understanding.
• To build on previous learning in other subjects, particularly English, Maths and Biology.
• To develop extended writing, mathematical, critical, application and evaluation skills.
• To develop skills in independent study that will be beneficial in further education
• To encourage resilience and a growth mind-set towards studying, work deadlines and assessments.
• To identify ambitions and aspirations and encourage students to appreciate the value of psychology in realising them, whether they relate to career or further education.
• To develop a culture of confidence within the classroom that allows students to question misunderstandings, challenge knowledge, express themselves and appreciate the different viewpoints surrounding sensitive topics. 
• To ensure that every student feels valued and that their contribution to the lesson and classroom environment is imported and appreciated.

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GCSE Specifications

Exam board: AQA                            Specification: 8182

Psychology is the study of the mind and people's behaviour. Psychology will provide you with a greater understanding of human behaviour. You will have the opportunity to explore your own ideas as well as the ideas of others and gain an understanding of how psychological theory impacts everyday life.

It will spur on your creative and critical thinking skills and will prompt you to ask questions about the issues that impact on our lives. There will be some opportunities to carry out your own psychological research.

GCSE Psychology is an interesting and challenging course. You will cover the course material through a variety of activities including practical experiments, group work, discussions, and presentations.

The course involves studying a wide range of psychological areas that cover the main issues facing psychologists today.

COURSE CONTENT

Paper 1: Cognition and Behaviour

50% of Qualification (1 hour 45 mins, 100 Marks)

• Memory
• Perception
• Development
• Research methods

Paper 2: Social context and  behaviour

50% of Qualification (1 hour 45 mins, 100 Marks)

• Social Influence
• Language, thought and communication
• Brain and neuropsychology
• Psychological problems

Mode of Assessment:

The GCSE course is a two-year linear course with students sitting two, 1 hour 45 minute exams at the end of year 11.

PROGRESSION ROUTES

Psychology is an excellent subject choice because you will be developing a number of different skills that can be used in a wide range of subjects. These include:

• Evaluation Skills
• Communication Skills
• Debating/discussion Skills
• Researching Skills

The course material and skills you develop when studying GCSE Psychology will prepare you for the A Level Psychology course.

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A Level Specifications

Exam board: AQA                            Specification Number: 7182

Aim of Course:

Students are encouraged to develop a deeper understanding of psychological concepts as well as a greater appreciation of psychological research; the ability to apply this knowledge to real life situations; critically analyse and evaluate the value of psychological research and its credibility as an explanation of human behaviour.

The study of psychology at A level will appeal to students who are curious about people and are interested in exploring the reasons for their behaviour. It is a versatile A level subject as it complements a variety of different A level subjects and is a credible A level for university application.

For A level psychology students need to be sensitive, open minded and willing to accept that there are no 'right or wrong' answers. Psychology is a science with cutting edge research that can be applied to issues we see in everyday life, such as psychological disorders, relationships and social influence.

COURSE CONTENT

Paper 1: Introductory topics in psychology

33.3% of Qualification (2 hours, 98 Marks)

• Social influence
• Memory
• Attachment
• Psychopathology

Paper 2: Psychology in context

33.3% of Qualification (2 hours, 98 Marks)

• Approaches in Psychology
• Biopsychology
• Research Methods

Paper 3: Issues and options in psychology

33.3% of Qualification (2 hours, 98 Marks)

• Issues and debates
• Relationships
• Schizophrenia
• Addiction

Mode of Assessment:

The A level course is a two-year linear course with students sitting three, 2 hour exams at the end of year 13.

PROGRESSION ROUTES

There are so many jobs you can go into with a psychology degree, including:

• Clinical Psychologists
• Psychiatrist
• Forensic Psychologist
• Occupational Psychologist
• Teacher
• Social Worker
• Child Psychologist
• Sport Psychologist

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Career Paths

In addition to the obvious progression onto degree courses in Psychology, a good A Level grade in this subject will be accepted as part of the qualification for the vast majority of degree courses.

Universities and employers view qualifications in psychology very favourably as this indicates good communication skills and confidence, which are important to any career.