Social Sciences

Sociology

Sociology is a subject that everyone can relate to. It's relevant to your everyday lives so you can immediately engage with the subject even if you haven't studied it before. Studying sociology encourages students to develop critical and reflective thinking skills, and a respect for social diversity, - useful skills to take to higher education and working life.

AS gives students a broad knowledge and understanding of the social processes and social change that affect your everyday lives.

At Wanstead, you will study the following:

• Families and Households
• Education
• Sociological methods(compulsory)

From the start, students are encouraged to see the links between the different areas of Sociology, through two core sociological themes

• socialisation, culture and identity, and
• social differentiation, power and stratification.

These themes underpin the topic areas and encourage students to think about the subject as a whole.

At A2 there is the opportunity to for more detailed study and specialisation. As in AS, the topic areas have been updated to reflect current sociological thinking.

At Wanstead, you will study the following:

• Beliefs in Society
• Crime and Deviance
• Theory and Methods(compulsory)

Assessment is all by written examination

AS Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking is unlike other ‘subjects’ at A level:
IT IS SKILLS-BASED NOT CONTENT BASED!

Critical Thinking encourages students to apply inter-disciplinary skills in a structured way. Specifically, the study of critical thinking equips students with reasoning skills to use in life, work and further academic study.

It provides opportunities for students to think carefully about the ways in which they approach evidence, arguments and opinions, and enables them to make reasoned decisions that are based on evidence and argument rather than assumption and prejudice.

The Advanced Subsidiary GCE specification gives an introduction to the concepts, principles and techniques that underlie critical thinking and expands their application to a range of contexts.

AS Units

Critical Thinking is a demanding subject which requires excellent literacy skills and as a full AS subject being taught over four lessons a fortnight students must be motivated and hard working.

Critical Thinking is a core element of the university examinations for Law and Medicine degrees (LNAT AND BMAT) at most universities.

Politics at A-Level

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