1. Statement of intent
Key Stage: 5
Subject: Sociology
Academic Year:
Sociology concerns the study of people in society. As well as the integral elements and core themes outlined below, students will learn the theoretical basis for the inter-relationship between Structure (Macro sociology) and Action (Micro sociology). They will seek to understand how society may shape the individual and how the individual socially constructs society.
All the following must be an integral part of the study of each topic area:
sociological theories, perspectives and methods.
the design of the research used to obtain the data under consideration, including its strengths and limitations.
Students must study the following core themes:
socialisation, culture and identity
social differentiation, power and stratification.
The themes should be understood and applied to particular substantive areas of Sociology. These themes are to be interpreted broadly as threads running through many areas of social life and should not therefore be regarded as discrete topics.
In addition, students must understand the significance of conflict and consensus, social norms
and the role of values.
By the end of Key Stage 5,
Students will have an informed view of the nature of society in terms of how the structures of society such as the family, education and religion affect us as individuals. Conversely, students will have an informed view of how we as individuals socially construct our society. Students will have an enhanced understanding of the nature of contemporary UK society as well as on aspects of globalisation in the twenty-first century.

2. Curriculum Overview Key Stage:5 Subject: Sociology
Academic Year
Year
Unit content
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Spring 1
Spring1
Summer 1
Summer 2
Yr12
Role and function of education:
Functionalist
Marxist
Feminist
New Right
Role and function of the family:
Methodology:
Quantitative v qualitative
Choice of method (practical, ethical and theoretical considerations
Differential education – Social Class
Experiments and Social Surveys
Changing family patterns
Internal and structural with reference to Gender roles, domestic labour and power relationships. (Couples)
Differential education – Ethnicity
Questionnaires and Interviews
Changing patterns of marriage, cohabitation and divorce (family diversity)
Differential education – Gender
Observations
The nature of childhood
March of progress v conflict
Educational policy
Demographic trends and family policy
Documents and official statistics
An introduction to Crime and Deviance and Beliefs in Society
In introduction to interpretivism.
Should Sociology be scientific?
Exploring the relationship between theory and method
Assessment
Essays on
Role and function of education.
Role and function of the family.
Choosing a research method
Changing family patterns.
Differential education – ethnicity
Marriage, divorce and cohabitation.
Self report methods
Differential education – gender
Childhood.
Observational methods
Role and function of religion.
Assess subcultultural explanantions of Crime

3. Curriculum Overview Key Stage:5 Subject: Sociology
Academic Year
Year
Unit content
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Spring 1
Spring1
Summer 1
Summer 2
Yr 13
Role and function of religion:
Functionalist
Marxist
Feminist
The nature of Crime and deviance:
Subcultural
Labelling
Marxism power and crime
Realist theories
Religion and social change
Gender, ethnicity and crime
Religious organisations –
Cults, Sects, Church and Denominations
Globalisation and green crime
The nature of secularisation
Religion and fundamentalism
Action theories
Sociology and science
Positivism v Interpretivism
Revision paper 1, 2 and 3
Revision
Assessment
Essays on
Role and function of religion.
Role and function of the crime.
Marxism and crime
Social change and religion
Explanations for the social distribution of crime
The nature of religious participation and belief
Green crime
Secularisation
The relationship between theory and method