Social Sciences
There are three new subjects that pupils can study at KS4, which are all social sciences options.
Health and Social Care Tech Award (Edexcel 603/0395/5).
Health and Social Care is a course designed for pupils with an interest in pursuing further education or a career in a health and/or social care setting such as nursing and childcare. It is vital that pupils have good communication skills and the ability to work independently as the course is predominantly coursework based which requires writing.
The Award gives learners the opportunity to develop sector-specific knowledge and skills in a practical learning environment. The main focus is on four areas of equal importance,
which cover the:
- development of key skills that prove your aptitude in health and social care such as interpreting data to assess an individual’s health
- process that underpins effective ways of working in health and social care, such as designing a plan to improve an individual’s health and wellbeing
- attitudes that are considered most important in health and social care, including the
- care values that are vitally important in the sector, and the opportunity to practise
- applying them
- knowledge that underpins effective use of skills, process and attitudes in the sector such as human growth and development, health and social care services, and factors affecting people’s health and wellbeing.
Assessment
- Component 1 – Human lifespan development – internally assessed (30%)
- Component 2 – Care services and values – internally assessed (30%)
- Component 3 – Health and well-being – external exam (40%)
Psychology GCSE (Edexcel 1PS0) is another subject that pupils can choose to study in KS4.
Psychology is a social science and studies the human mind and behaviour. Research in psychology seeks to understand and explain how we think, act, and feel. There are lots of types of psychology, including cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, biological psychology and social psychology that the Pearson course touches on. The course requires students to learn and understand psychological theories and studies and apply these to real scenarios as well as evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of them. There is also some math involved as students must know how to interpret and use data effectively.
The course gives an introduction into these different disciplines and covers seven topics:
- Development
- Memory
- Psychological problems
- The brain and neuropsychology
- Social influence
- Criminal psychology
- Sleep and dreaming
Assessment
- Paper 1 (55% of qualification). Written exam 1 hour 45 minutes
- Paper 2 (45% of qualification). Written exam 1 hour 20 minutes
Sociology GCSE (AQA 8192) is an option to study in KS4.
Sociology studies the structure and ‘functions’ of society. Pupils will develop a greater knowledge of how our modern society works: How we become the people we are; what influence nature has on us over our upbringing and the people around us (nurture). It is a chance to study and debate many of the current issues faced by society today, for example; poverty, inequality and welfare, education, crime, media, family and so on.
Year 9
- Social processes
- Families
Year 10
- Education
- Social structures
Year 11
- Social stratification
- Crime and deviance
Assessment
Two written examination papers of 1 hour 45 minutes (each 50% of the qualification)