GCSE to A-level progression

Studying society

Education

Education

Methods in context

Families

Theory and methods

Crime and deviance

Crime and deviance

Mass media

Culture and identity

Power

Families and households

Social inequality

Health

Work, poverty and welfare

Beliefs in society

Global development

The media

Stratification and differentiation

GCSE:

The main focus is to outline the role of sociological perspectives in understanding and explaining patterns of social life.

Sociological approaches are introduced, recognising there are different theoretical approaches to studying society. Students learn the different kinds of explanations that exist within sociology and are required to understand the distinction between the sociological approaches as opposed to the biological or psychological approaches when analysing human behaviour.

A-level:

The A-level specification expands on the above to include the various nuances which exist within the major sociological perspectives. Consensus, conflict, structural and social action theories outlined at GCSE are studied in more depth.

Education

For GCSE, students consider the role of education and the various functions that schools perform for society and the individual. The A-level also focuses on the role and functions of the education system.

At both GCSE and A-level, the different educational achievements of social groups by ethnicity, gender and social class in contemporary society are examined. The GCSE specification identifies the influences on educational achievement, such as peers and parents. The A-level specification focuses on relationships and processes within schools, making particular reference to the organisation of teaching and learning.

Both courses discuss the impact of educational reforms.

The GCSE identifies the structure of today’s education system, describing the various types of schools found in modern Britain. It also covers how the education system has changed and developed, including the reasons for and against reforms. At A-level, students consider the significance of recent educational policies including policies of selection, marketisation, privatisation and the policies to achieve greater equality of opportunity.

A-level students also consider the impact of globalisation on educational policy.

At GCSE, students explore issues of culture and identity through the study of education. Students are made aware of the development of individual identity and the learning of social roles. They also study the role of education in socialisation and identity. This topic at GCSE also explores how individuals learn the culture of societies and considers how the individual is socialised by education.

At GCSE, students study the role of the education system and the functions that schools perform. For example, they consider secondary socialisation and the formation of gender identities. Identity is considered through discussion of pupil subcultures and the influence of peers. Within the GCSE topic of Studying Society, students discuss how gender identity is constructed via the socialisation process, with particular focus on how schools can develop gender identity through hidden aspects of the curriculum.

The GCSE content prepares students well for the compulsory identity section of the Education topic at A-level.

Families

Families and households

At GCSE, students study the diverse forms of the family found in modern Britain. Different approaches to the family are introduced, namely the functionalist as opposed to the feminist. Changes in fertility patterns and life expectation are also examined, with students considering their significance for individuals, family and society generally.

Both GCSE and A-level specifications study the changing patterns in marriage, cohabitation and divorce, along with gender roles, domestic labour and power relationships within the family.

A-level students consider the demographic trends in the United Kingdom since 1900. At GCSE, students debate contemporary family related issues including quality of parenting and the relationship between teenagers and adults. At A-level, students consider the nature of childhood, and changes in the status of children in the family and society. GCSE students consider the consequences of divorce for family members. They are expected to have a basic knowledge of contemporary family-related issues, such as the relationship between teenagers and adults, care of the disabled/elderly and arranged marriages. These aspects of the GCSE specification provides a good foundation to the personal life section of the A-level Families and Households optional topic.

At GCSE, students are also made aware of how changes in work patterns influence marriage and the family in Britain. Students also consider personal life issues by understanding that an individual might live in many different family situations throughout their life. Consideration is made to authoritative relationships between family members and the darker side of family life (such as domestic violence and the rights of children in families). This is also dealt with in the Power topic at GCSE, when power at a more personal level within the home is studied. Here, students are asked to consider power relationships between children and parents. This prepares students for studying the personal life element of the A-level Families and Households topic.

Crime and deviance

Crime and deviance

Both at GCSE and A-level, key sociological concepts and explanations of criminal and deviant behaviour are outlined. At A-level, students are required to weigh up and consider the usefulness of certain sociological approaches in understanding crime and deviance, such as the labelling theory and subcultural theories.

At GCSE, students also identify the different ways crime is measured in order to assess the usefulness of official crime figures and victim studies to sociologists. Other areas examined include a focus on contemporary debates surrounding crime and deviance, a consideration of the significance of crime for victims, communities and society in general. The GCSE also examines the social distribution of crime, describing patterns in variation according to age, ethnicity, gender, locality and social class. Students also consider ways of controlling criminal and deviant behaviour.

A-level students go into more detail and consider why situational crime prevention strategies may not actually reduce crime. The A-level also covers crime control, surveillance, prevention and punishment. Focus is given to the role of the criminal justice system.

The GCSE content for this topic forms part of the A-level content. However, A-level students cover globalisation and crime in contemporary society, along with green crime, human rights and state crimes.

Mass media

The media

At GCSE, various forms of the media are identified. Traditional forms of mass communication are described and developments in new media are outlined. The content of the mass media is discussed, with a focus on the selection and presentation of news. This aspect is further developed at

A-level.

The relationship between the media and its audience is introduced at GCSE, and expanded upon at A-level. Students are also made aware of the power that media gives individuals and organisations which own and/or control it. This is expanded upon at A-level, when students consider the relationship between ownership and control of the media.

The significance of the media as an agent of socialisation is debated, at a basic level, at GCSE. The impact and influence of the media on people’s lives is further developed at A-level, with focus on the relationship between the media, their content, presentation and audiences.

Also considered at GCSE, are representations of certain social groups by the media and contemporary debates surrounding the media are discussed - such as whether media exposure encourages violence.

The A-level builds on the GCSE course through a focus on media representations of age, social class, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and disability. The media, globalisation and popular culture are also examined.

Power

Whilst this topic does not exist at A-level, discreet elements of the GCSE content are useful for students continuing on to A-level Sociology.

In particular, students are required, in the study of this topic at GCSE, to consider power relationships in everyday situations, such as those between employees and employers, which equally apply to the A-level. GCSE students also study themes including social differentiation, power and stratification.

The different political positions on the welfare state covered in this GCSE Power topic also links to the Work, Poverty and Welfare optional A-level topic. Similarly, students are made aware of how governments have attempted to alleviate social problems, such as those associated with unemployment and poverty which prepares them for the Work, Poverty and Welfare A-level topic.

Social inequality

This GCSE topic does not exist at A-level. However, elements of it provide a good foundation for students going on to study the A-level topic of Work, Poverty and Welfare and Stratification and Differentiation. For example, at GCSE, students consider the nature of stratification as involving the unequal distribution of wealth, income, status and power. In addition, GCSE students consider the differing sociological explanations of poverty. The GCSE specification invites learners to consider whether modern Britain is becoming a meritocracy/classless society. These issues are expanded upon in the

A-level Work, Poverty and Welfare topic, where students study the nature, existence and persistence of poverty in contemporary society. Furthermore, A-level students examine responses and solutions to poverty by the state and by private, voluntary and informal welfare providers in contemporary society.

Methods in context

At GCSE, students investigate aspects of society to develop their knowledge and use of sociological research methods. Students are encouraged to collect and use information and evidence. GCSE students examine the research process and consider how to conduct sociological research. This is developed more specifically at A-level, whereby students must be able to apply sociological research methods to the study of education. GCSE students will be familiar with this, as they are asked to become a sociologist when they investigate an issue focused on the study of education or family life in modern Britain.

Theory and methods

GCSE students are introduced to theory and methods through the Studying Society topic. They are made aware of the research process and how sociologists conduct research into aspects of human behaviour. Primary and secondary sources of data, sampling techniques, ethical considerations and issues of reliability, validity and representativeness are considered. These latter concepts are further developed at A-level, along with the relationship between positivism, interpretivism and sociological methods.

The A-level expands on the GCSE content to include the concepts of modernity and post-modernity in relation to sociology theory. Debates about subjectivity and value freedom are also conducted at A-level.

GCSE and A-level students consider the relationship between Sociology and social policy. At GCSE, it’s more practical and students consider how sociological research findings may assist in the formation of social policies such as how to tackle racism in schools. At A-level, a more analytical and theoretical approach is taken.

Culture and identity

Whilst there isn’t a specific topic entitled ‘Culture and Identity’ at GCSE, much of the Studying Society topic deals with concepts and ideas that closely relate to this optional A-level topic. The individual within society is discussed through examining the difference between primary and secondary socialisation. Aspects of gender identity and socialisation are considered within this unit.

Progressing from the GCSE to A-level, the socialisation process and the role of the agencies of socialisation are debated, along with a consideration of mass culture, folk culture, high and low culture.

Health

This optional A-level topic is not covered in detail at GCSE. However, the unequal social distribution of health chances and inequalities in healthcare in modern Britain, is touched upon in the GCSE topics of Power and Social Inequality. This is expanded on at A-level.

Work, poverty and welfare

Elements of this optional topic at A-level are considered at GCSE within the Social Inequality topic. This is outlined in the Power and Social Inequality sections above.

Beliefs in society

This optional A-level topic is not covered at GCSE. However, students do touch on this area through the Studying Society topic. Students are invited to consider core concepts including beliefs, norms, values and their role in the formation of someone’s identity.

The significance of religion in society and the extent of secularisation are discussed in many of the GCSE topics. These issues are essentially looked at in greater depth in the optional A-level topic of Beliefs in Society.

Global development

This optional topic at A-level is not a distinct topic for GCSE. However, GCSE students are encouraged to use comparisons and examples from other societies when studying the social structure of British society. The Mass Media GCSE topic examines global culture and enables students to be aware of the significance of the internet.

Stratification and differentiation

Although this is not a distinct topic at GCSE, much of the Social Inequality content outlined earlier is relevant and provides students with a good grounding to prepare for this A-level option. At GCSE the student also examines the extent of social mobility in Britain, which is expanded upon in the A-level topic of Stratification and Differentiation.