Students are introduced to the fundamental concepts of sociology, exploring various theories including Marxism, Feminism, Functionalism and Interactionalism. Emphasis is placed on understanding research methods, with practical research projects to enhance comprehension. This unit explores the role and function of education within society, examining key sociological theories and perspectives. Students will investigate issues such as class, gender, and ethnicity in educational achievement, along with educational policies and their impacts.
Throughout the course, students will develop critical thinking skills, the ability to analyse complex social issues, and an understanding of the interplay between various social institutions. Students will be informally assessed throughout the topic, and formally within the mock exams and end of topic assessments. Assessments will comprise of exam style questions and essays. The essays will be written under timed conditions. As the unit progresses students will advance from writing essays with the support of plans to completing unseen questions. Practical research projects help students to apply their knowledge and understanding of theories and methods.
Education
The process of formal learning and socialisation in society.
Formal Education
Structured education provided by schools and colleges.
Informal Education
Learning that takes place outside the education system.
Value Consensus
Shared norms and values that unite society.
Meritocracy
A system where success is based on ability and effort.
Social Solidarity
Shared values that create social cohesion.
Specialist Skills
Skills taught by education needed for the workforce.
Capitalism
An economic system based on private ownership and profit.
Bourgeoisie
The ruling class who own the means of production.
Proletariat
The working class who sell their labour.
Ideological State Apparatus
Institutions that transmit ruling-class ideology.
Hidden Curriculum
Unwritten lessons schools teach, such as obedience and discipline.
Myth of Meritocracy
The belief that success is earned, which hides inequality.
Patriarchy
A system of male dominance in society.
Gender Socialisation
How individuals learn gender roles.
Gendered Subject Choice
Differences in subjects chosen by boys and girls.
Postmodern Society
A society based on diversity, choice, and identity.
Globalisation
Increasing interconnectedness of societies worldwide.
Marketisation
Introducing competition and choice into education.
Parentocracy
A system where parents’ wealth and choice affect achievement.
Labelling
The process of defining and reacting to behaviour.
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
When a label leads someone to act in ways that confirm it.
Streaming
Grouping pupils by ability across subjects.
Setting
Grouping pupils by ability within a subject.
Educational Triage
Schools prioritising pupils based on exam potential.
Cultural Capital
Knowledge and skills that advantage middle-class pupils.
Material Deprivation
Lack of financial resources needed for success.
Cultural Deprivation
Lack of values and skills needed to succeed in education.
Ethnocentric Curriculum
A curriculum focused on white Western culture.
Institutional Racism
Discrimination embedded in institutional practices.
Tripartite System
The 1944 system of grammar, secondary modern, and technical schools.
Comprehensive Schools
Non-selective schools aiming to reduce inequality.
League Tables
Rankings of schools based on exam results.
Ofsted
The organisation that inspects schools in England.
Develop the individual:
Create a supportive community:
This module delves into the changing nature of family structures and household compositions. Topics include the sociology of childhood, demographic trends, marriage, cohabitation, divorce, and family diversity. Students will critically assess the implications of these changes on individuals and society.
Students will be informally assessed throughout the topic, and formally within the mock exams and end of topic assessments. Assessments will comprise of exam style questions and essays. The essays will be written under timed conditions. As the unit progresses students will advance from writing essays with the support of plans to completing unseen questions.
Family
A social institution consisting of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
Household
People living together who may or may not be related.
Nuclear Family
A family made up of two parents and their dependent children.
Extended Family
A family that includes relatives beyond the nuclear unit.
Reconstituted Family
A stepfamily formed after divorce or separation.
Patriarchy
A system of male dominance and female subordination in the family.
Symmetrical Family
A family where roles are more equal between partners.
March of Progress
The idea that the family has become more equal and democratic over time.
Beanpole Family
A long, thin family structure common in contemporary society.
Childhood
A socially constructed stage of life with changing meanings.
Conjugal Roles
Roles performed by husband and wife within the family.
Joint Conjugal Roles
Roles where both partners share domestic tasks and childcare.
Segregated Conjugal Roles
Roles where men and women have separate responsibilities.
Domestic Division of Labour
How housework and childcare are shared between partners.
Triple Shift
The idea that women carry paid work, housework, and emotional labour.
Cereal Packet Family
Families where fathers play a minimal role.
Social Policy
Laws and government actions affecting families.
Functional Fit Theory
The idea that family structure fits the needs of society.
Family Diversity
The range of different family structures that exist in society.
Secularisation
The decline in religious influence on family life.
Develop the individual:
Create a supportive community:
Students will combine their understanding of theories, perspectives and research methods to conduct their own research methods project on a topic of their choice. This will support them to answer “methods in context” questions. Lessons will include: Practical Workshops: Hands-on sessions to practice data collection and analysis techniques; Research Projects: Students will work individually or in groups to conduct original research, putting their theoretical knowledge into practice; Presentations: Share research findings with peers, developing communication and critical thinking skills.
Formal mock examinations and research project presentations.
Methods in Context
The relationship between sociological research methods and the context in which they are used.
Positivism
An approach that uses scientific methods to study society.
Interpretivism
An approach that focuses on understanding meanings and experiences.
Validity
The extent to which research measures what it claims to measure.
Reliability
The ability of research to be repeated with the same results.
Representativeness
The extent to which a sample reflects the wider population.
Generalisation
The ability to apply findings to the wider population.
Ethical issues
Moral issues such as consent, deception, and harm to participants.
Practical issues
Problems of time, money, access, and funding.
Theoretical issues
Issues linked to sociological perspectives and research aims.
Value freedom
The idea that researchers should remain neutral and unbiased.
Researcher bias
When personal values influence research outcomes.
Social desirability
When participants give socially acceptable answers.
Hawthorne effect
When people change behaviour because they know they are being studied.
Closed questions
Questions with fixed response options.
Open questions
Questions that allow detailed, free responses.
Operationalisation
Turning concepts into measurable variables.
Pilot study
A small-scale trial study conducted before the main research.
Primary data
Data collected by the researcher firsthand.
Secondary data
Data collected by others, such as statistics or documents.
Official statistics
Data collected by the state on areas such as education and crime.
Longitudinal study
A study that follows the same individuals over a long period of time.
Sampling
The process of selecting participants for research.
Random sample
A sampling method in which everyone has an equal chance of selection.
Develop the individual:
Create a supportive community: