Sociology subject update

Welcome to our autumn 2026 newsletter

I hope you've had a restful summer and are looking forward to the new academic year. Whether you're welcoming a brand-new GCSE or A-level cohort, introducing students to Sociology for the first time, or preparing Year 13 students for their final year, I'd like to wish you a very warm welcome back. The start of a new term is always busy, so my aim is to make sure you have access to the support, resources and guidance you need to feel confident and prepared throughout the year. This update highlights some of the support available this autumn term.

If any members of your team would like to receive subject-specific updates, they can easily sign up for AQA subject updates , so they’re always informed and part of our community.

New to teaching sociology?

If you're new to GCSE or A-level sociology, or supporting non-specialist colleagues, I'd particularly encourage you to explore our introductory training and support materials.

Alongside our getting started events, you'll find a range of resources designed to help build knowledge, confidence and understanding of both the content and assessment requirements. Sociology | Subjects | AQA

A particular highlight for me this term will be welcoming Professor David Gillborn to deliver a masterclass. Please see below for details.

Thank you for everything you do to inspire the next generation of sociologists. I wish you and your learners every success for the year ahead and look forward to working with many of you over the coming months.

Best wishes

Sarah Fawcett
Subject Lead for Sociology

Help shape the future of digital assessment

We’d like to hear about your experiences of digital teaching, learning and assessment through a short survey.

By sharing your experiences, you’ll help us shape the guidance, resources and support teachers need as digital assessment continues to evolve.

The survey contains 24 questions, takes around 12 minutes to complete and closes on 1 November 2026. As a thank you, participants who complete the survey can enter a prize draw for the chance to win one of four £50 gift vouchers.

Curriculum Connect sessions

Masterclass with Professor David Gillborn 

Join us for a free live webinar exploring the ideas behind his influential work, White Lies: Racism, Education and Critical Race Theory. Hear from one of the leading voices in sociology and education, with an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the implications for teaching. A fascinating and thought-provoking session that promises to bring contemporary sociological research straight into the classroom.

Coming January 2027. Keep an eye on our professional development page for further details and booking information.

Exploring 2026 – GCSE and A-level

Our Curriculum Connect events continue this term and provide an opportunity to explore student performance, examiner feedback and practical classroom strategies with fellow Sociology teachers.

These sessions are always popular because they focus on translating assessment insights into teaching approaches that can make a difference in the classroom. They're also a great opportunity to share ideas and connect with colleagues from across the country.

• GCSE Sociology: Exploring 2026 GCSE Paper 1 – Tuesday 6 October 2026, 4pm–5pm
• GCSE Sociology: Exploring 2026 GCSE Paper 2 – Wednesday 7 October 2026, 4pm–5pm
• AS Sociology: Exploring 2026 AS Papers 1 & 2 – Wednesday 21 October 2026, 4pm–5pm
• A-level Sociology: Exploring 2026 A-level Paper 1 – Thursday 22 October 2026, 4pm–5pm
• A-level Sociology: Exploring 2026 A-level Paper 2 – Tuesday 27 October 2026, 4pm–5pm
• A-level Sociology: Exploring 2026 A-level Paper 3 – Wednesday 28 October 2026, 4pm–5pm

Community links

BSA – your subject association

For A-level Sociology teachers, the British Sociological Association (BSA) membership provides an excellent way to stay connected with contemporary sociology and develop your subject expertise. Benefits include:

• Access to the latest sociological research through journals, e-books and the BSA's Network magazine, helping you bring contemporary examples and debates into the classroom.
• High-quality CPD opportunities, including conferences, webinars, specialist groups and events led by leading sociologists.
• Networking with academics and fellow teachers, enabling you to share ideas, resources and best practice.
• Discounted conference and event fees, including the annual BSA Conference, which showcases cutting-edge sociological research.
• Access to Discover Sociology, a free resource hub containing lesson materials, videos, careers guidance, downloadable posters and classroom activities designed specifically for GCSE and A-level Sociology teachers.
• Opportunities to help promote sociology nationally and support the wider sociological community.

Resources to support your teaching

There’s a wealth of free support available through myAQA and Centre Services.

You'll find:

• schemes of work
• teaching guides
• examiner reports
• question papers and mark schemes
• answers and commentaries
• exemplar student responses and assessment guidance
• previous Curriculum Connect presentations
• National Programme course materials.

One of the questions I'm most often asked is, “What resources are available to help with planning and delivery?" To help, I've signposted a selection of resources, events and opportunities that I've found particularly useful. Whether you're new to teaching Sociology or looking for fresh ideas, I hope these will support curriculum planning, lesson delivery, assessment and revision. Some of the events included are not endorsed or quality assured by AQA, but I've selected them because they align closely with our GCSE and A-level Sociology specifications and offer valuable opportunities for subject enrichment and professional development.

BSA Discover Sociology 

is a fantastic free resource hub for A-level Sociology teachers. With over 150 resources, including lesson materials, videos, careers guidance and contemporary sociological content, it offers plenty of inspiration to support planning, teaching and enrichment activities.

The Sociological Review – Connected Sociologies 

offers a wealth of free teaching resources, including expert video lectures and lesson plans exploring colonialism, migration, inequality, citizenship and social theory. Developed by leading sociologists, the resources provide thought-provoking contemporary material that can help broaden students' sociological understanding and bring a global perspective to the classroom.

University of Manchester – Sociology of Personal Life

The Morgan Centre's free videos explore family diversity, relationships, identity and everyday life, making them particularly useful for the Families and Households and Culture and Identity topics. Short and accessible, they provide contemporary examples that can be easily incorporated into lessons.

What I'm Reading: The New Age of Sexism by Laura Bates

Laura Bates' latest book, The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny, explores how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies can reproduce and amplify existing gender inequalities. From biased algorithms and deepfakes to online harassment and AI-generated content, Bates argues that technology is not neutral and often reflects the values and inequalities of the societies that create it. It offers a wealth of contemporary examples that can enrich topics across the specification, particularly gender, media, crime and deviance and beliefs in society. It provides an excellent starting point for discussions about power, patriarchy, social change, digital inequality, and the ways in which new technologies can both challenge and reinforce existing social structures.

Get more with MyAQA

myAQA gives you access to everything you need to plan, teach and assess, including our secure extranet – Centre Services. Here you’ll find essential resources, such as the latest past papers, as well as Teacher Online Standardisation (T-OLS) and much more.

Don’t have a myAQA account yet? Complete a short form to get started. Once your Exams Officer has verified your registration, then you’re ready to go.

Free CPD courses and events - autumn 2026

National programme training events

To complement the Autumn Curriculum Connect session, I’d also encourage you to book onto our National Programme training events. These sessions will be led by an AQA senior examiner and will provide a much deeper dive into the questions that proved most challenging for students in the 2026 exam series. Using real student responses, you'll explore common misconceptions, understand how marks were awarded and gain practical insights into what examiners were looking for in the strongest answers. Together, the Curriculum Connect and National Programme events will provide a comprehensive overview of the summer series, helping you translate examiner feedback into effective classroom practice and supporting your students to achieve their full potential in future exams.

Upcoming sessions include:

Mark scheme guidance courses

• A-level Sociology: Mark scheme guidance and application (Extended responses) – Thursday 24 September, 4pm–5.15pm
• A-level Sociology: Mark scheme guidance and application (Paper 2) – Monday 28 September, 4pm–5.15pm
• GCSE Sociology: Mark scheme guidance and application (12-mark questions) – Wednesday 30 September, 4pm–5.15pm

Exploring series

• GCSE Sociology: Exploring 3-mark and 4-mark questions – Wednesday 14 October and Wednesday 2 December, 4pm–5.45pm
• A-level Sociology: Exploring 10-mark questions – Tuesday 20 October and Tuesday 12 January, 4pm–5.30pm

Student Advisory Group recruitment for 2026/27

Help your learners influence the future of exams

We’re looking for learners to join our Student Advisory Group for 2026/27.  The group gives young people a direct opportunity to share their experiences and views on qualifications, assessments and the wider exam system. Their insights will help shape the future of the curriculum, qualifications and assessments for young people, as well as our work to offer new vocational qualifications.

If you know any learners who may be interested, please encourage them to apply – we’re looking for students who have taken AQA qualifications, though this is not essential, and they can be sitting general or vocational qualifications.

Applications open: Monday 7 September 2026

Applications close: 5.00pm on Monday 21 September 2026

Thank you for helping us raise awareness of this opportunity among your learners. For more information about the Student Advisory Group and details on how to apply, please visit our website.