Sociology - A Level

Sixth Form Admissions

There will be a relaunch of Sixth Form provision for September 2026 at Stone Lodge School .

This will include a mix of level 2, vocational and academic level 3 courses.

Full details of the curriculum offer for September 2026 will be updated here as soon as possible.

The Families and Households unit will introduce you to how the family fits into society particularly in relation to state policies and the economy. Education and Theory & Methods provides you with the opportunity to explore the role & purpose of the education system in contemporary society. Your analytical and evaluative skills will then be used to assess the usefulness of a research method to a particular area of the education i.e. teacher labelling of students. Beliefs in Society provides you with an opportunity to explore ideology, science and religion, including both Christian and non-Christian religious traditions. Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods provides you with the opportunity to explore the role of crime, deviance, social order and social control in the contemporary world from the local to a global context. Patterns and distribution of types of crime, offenders and victims will be explored as well as theories on how to prevent and punish behaviour that threatens the order of society. New areas of green crime and state crime have taken this topic to an international level and there is also a focus on the challenges that sociologists face when trying to study criminal and deviant behaviour.

Expectations of Independent Study

Students are expected to complete three to five hours of independent study in Sociology per week. This will give students the opportunity to ‘Go wider,’ ‘Go Deeper’ or Consolidate understanding of content covered in lessons. They will also be expected to relate sociological theory to more contemporary examples and so will be encouraged to keep abreast of current affairs in the news. Students will be given guidance to produce revision materials intermittently throughout the course, in advance of class assessment, examinations and final examinations.

What skills and knowledge will I develop by studying this subject?

Skills and Knowledge

You will develop a range of very useful skills: Debating, Analysing, Research, Critical thinking, Communication, Open-mindedness and patience alongside a willingness to speak up. This course focuses on contemporary society, providing an awareness of the importance of social structure and actions in explaining social forces and issues. Some questions A Level Sociology covers include:

• Why do boys underachieve in the education system?

• Why are black people five time more likely to be stopped and searched?

• Why are women more religious when religion oppresses them?

A Level Sociology helps you to develop knowledge and understanding of the essential sociological theories and methods (such as Functionalism, Marxism and Feminism) with which sociologists make sense of the diversity of societies, and of the forces which have and will continue to shape social change. Sociology will help you to think about society in a new and critical light, questioning the status quo and developing a sophisticated understanding of the real issues that affect the society we live in. It is an excellent subject for showing you how society works and for making you aware of the range of conditions that individuals within society experience. Students often comment that they didn't realise how varied the human experience can be and how powerfully group identity shapes a person's future.

Who will this course be suitable for?

You need to appreciate the importance of analysis and balance in tackling conflicting points of view. You should be interested in reading the news on a daily basis to be able to relate the topics learnt in class to the outside world. Above all you need an outward-looking perspective on the world, and you should be prepared to 'walk in another person's shoes'.

1 Education, Theory and Methods: - 2 hours 33.33%

2 Topics in Sociology (Families & Households and Beliefs in Society) 2 hours - 33.33%

3 Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods: 2 hours - 33.33%

Standard Entry Requirements and Grade 9-5 in English Language or Literature is required

• Public Sector
• Education
• Charity & Not For Profit
• Recruitment & HR
• Advertising & Marketing
• Social Care
• Law