WELCOME TO A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY AT HIGH STORRS

For enjoyment - hopefully you will gain a great deal from the course To understand yourself more, what you are and why you have become what you are To understand others more, the way they think feel and behave and how they experience the world they live in Why study psychology?

“Interesting and can apply the things learnt to new situations.” “Useful for essay writing and practice, interesting, enjoyable, good teachers.” “If you want to know why people act certain ways it provides answers. It also covers a variety of interesting topics, like schizophrenia.” “Because it has helped me understand behaviour in others.” “The trip to London was fun and useful.” “It’s interesting, but it is demanding.” “Have loved Mrs Pike and Mrs Dewis. You are wonderful teachers and will be greatly missed.” “Quite interesting compared to other A-Level subjects.”

Health psycholog y Occupational psychology Forensic psychology Educational psychology Consumer psychology Sports psychology Counselling psychology Research psychology Research psychology Clinical psychology Specialist areas of psychology are:

Psychology regards itself as a science. All of these areas of psychology could not function without evidence. To obtain evidence, psychologists and students of psychology can adopt research methods that are experimental or non- experimental. All sciences have to produce evidence to support any theories they may have.

NEW AS AND A LEVEL FROM SEPTEMBER 2015 Teaching the new AS and A Levels will start September 2015 First assessment for AS will be 2016 First assessment for A-level will be 2017 AS standard will remain the same A-level examined at the end of the 2 years of study and is separate to the AS AS exams will not contribute to A-level assessment

NEW AS AND A LEVEL Question papers will have a selection of multiple choice, short answer questions and essay style questions The AS course is co-teachable with the A-level Students who sit the AS exam and then choose to continue with the A-level course will be required to sit the 3 papers at the end of the A-level – Remember AS qualifications will not count towards the A-level.

AS AND A-LEVEL EXAMINATION AS – 2 x 1hr 30 min written exams A2 Level – 3 x 2 hour written exams A selection of multiple choice, short answer questions and essay style questions. No coursework

TOPICS COVERED AS/A2 – Social Influence; Memory; Attachment; Psychopathology; Approaches in Psychology; Research Methods A2 only – Biopsychology; Issues and Debates; A choice of 3 of the following: Relationships, Gender, Cognition and Development, Schizophrenia, Eating Behaviour, Stress, Aggression, Forensic Psychology, Addiction

TRIPS AND VISITS Galleries of Justice in Nottingham, Science Museum, Freud Museum, National Archives, Science and Pseudoscience Conference, Forensic Conference

TRIPS AND VISITS Visited by: a District Judge a Neuroscientist (specialising in Schizophrenia and Forensics) PHD students

ENTRY LEVEL AQA Psychology – examining board Entry requirements -5 G.C.S.E’s at A-C (including C in Maths and Additional Science; B in English) Read the specifications in full at: Taught 5 hours per week Loan of textbooks

FACTS AND FIGURES 4 th most popular A Level in the country -over 100,000 AS -55,000 A2 3 rd most common subject studied at Uni. -77,000 undergraduates QCA (Qualifications & Curriculum Authority) – arguably as difficult as Biology A Level

Helps develop a broad-based set of skills -forensic thinking -methodology (experimentation) -evaluative skills for essay writing -moral dimension i.e. ethics - extensive reading covering current issues i.e. crime, phobias, eating disorders, mental illness -Overlap with other subjects i.e. biology, English, Sociology, Child Development, H & S C, I.T., History, Statistics

90% of students surveyed felt better prepared for degree level courses after they had done a Psychology A Level! PREPARATION FOR A PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE

A Level Psychology is an important source of employability It gives you – personal insight - scientific thinking - critical skills EMPLOYABILITY

EXAM RESULTS AT HIGH STORRS Pass rate % at A2 Pass rate % at A2 Pass rate % at A2 Pass rate % at A2

QUESTION TIME Thank you for listening and visiting our open evening Any questions? If you would like further information regarding Psychology then please ring the school – and ask for Mrs. Pike