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St Margaret Ward
Catholic Academy
St Margaret Ward
Catholic Academy
Curriculum Driver: INQUIRY
Psychology gives us the tools to make sense of ourselves, other people, and the world around us, combining scientific thinking with real human insight. It is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour, exploring how we think, feel, and act in different contexts. At A-Level, students examine a wide range of behaviours, from memory and obedience to mental health and criminality, using research evidence to understand both everyday experiences and complex psychological issues. Psychology sits at the intersection of science and social inquiry, equipping students with the skills to evaluate theories, apply research methods, and engage critically with real world problems.
Our A-Level Psychology curriculum is shaped by a commitment to Inquiry — the central driver that underpins everything we teach. We aim to develop students not only as learners of psychology, but as thinkers, questioners, and investigators of the human mind and behaviour. Our goal is to foster active engagement with psychology, encouraging students to go beyond acquiring knowledge and instead become psychologically literate individuals.
Students are empowered to:
The four tenets of Behavioural, Human, Critical, and Evidence-Based Inquiry form the foundation of Inquiry. These tenets shape how students engage with psychological content, structure their thinking, and develop disciplinary habits. They provide a consistent framework for understanding behaviour, applying theory, analysing evidence, and reflecting on what it means to study psychology in depth and in context.
Students examine how behaviour is shaped by learning, experience, and environment. They explore questions such as: Why do we conform? What influences criminal behaviour? This tenet supports key topics including social influence, attachment, memory, and forensic psychology, encouraging students to apply behaviourist and social learning principles to real-world actions.
Students explore how psychological theory helps us understand relationships, emotion, and mental health. They consider questions such as: How do early attachments affect later behaviour? How can we support those experiencing psychological distress? This tenet runs through topics such as attachment, clinical psychology and mental health, schizophrenia, and relationships, encouraging students to think with empathy and reflect on the human side of psychological science.
Students learn to question evidence, challenge assumptions, and weigh up competing explanations. They explore questions such as: How reliable is psychological research? Can we trust diagnostic labels? Are all perspectives equally valid? This tenet runs throughout the course but is especially central to issues and debates, approaches in psychology, schizophrenia, and relationships, where students develop the skills to think analytically and evaluate complex ideas.
Students learn how psychological knowledge is generated through research and how to interpret and apply findings. They consider questions such as: What makes a study credible? How do we analyse data? How can research solve real-world problems? This tenet is embedded in research methods, forensic psychology, clinical psychology, and memory, equipping students with the tools to think scientifically and make informed, evidence-based judgments.
Our curriculum is carefully sequenced to build knowledge, application, and evaluative skill over time. In Year 12, students are introduced to core psychological approaches and methods through topics such as attachment, memory, social influence, and psychopathology. From the outset, they engage in evaluation and critical thinking, while developing a strong foundation in theory, evidence, and research. In Year 13, they build on this foundation by strengthening their analytical skills and applying them to more complex and comparative content, including schizophrenia, forensic psychology, and relationships, alongside broader psychological debates.
Research methods is taught as a double unit and assessed across all three exam papers. It is introduced early and reinforced throughout the course, through discrete and interleaved teaching. Students also complete practical research tasks to consolidate their understanding and experience psychology as a scientific discipline.
A Level Psychology Course Information
Curriculum Driver: EMPOWERMENT
Subject Overview
Sociology gives students the tools to understand how society works and how social forces shape people’s lives. It explores the relationship between individuals and wider social structures, examining how identity, power, inequality, and culture influence behaviour and opportunity. At A Level, students study contemporary social issues including socialisation and identity, media influence, inequality, globalisation, and crime and deviance.
Through the study of sociological theory and research, students develop a critical understanding of the modern world. Sociology encourages students to question assumptions, recognise inequality, and engage thoughtfully with social debates that are directly relevant to their lives and to society more broadly.
Curriculum Intent
Our A Level Sociology curriculum is designed to develop confident, informed, and reflective learners who are empowered to understand, analyse, and evaluate social issues. The curriculum supports students in building secure sociological knowledge while developing the skills to think critically, construct arguments, and apply theory and evidence to real-world contexts.
Students are encouraged to explore different perspectives on society and to understand how social structures shape experiences and life chances. Through this, the curriculum empowers students to become socially aware individuals who can engage critically with issues such as inequality, identity, media influence, and crime, and who can express informed viewpoints with clarity and confidence.
Through studying Sociology, students develop the ability to:
Curriculum Principles
The Sociology curriculum is underpinned by four key principles that shape how students learn and think as sociologists.
Social Understanding
Students develop knowledge of how socialisation, culture, institutions, and power influence individuals and groups. They explore how personal experiences are connected to wider social structures and social change.
Critical Thinking
Students are taught to question assumptions, compare perspectives, and evaluate explanations. They engage with a range of sociological theories, considering different interpretations of social behaviour and inequality.
Evidence and Research
Students learn how sociological knowledge is produced through research. They study research methods, ethical considerations, and the relationship between theory and evidence, applying this understanding across substantive topics.
Voice and Confidence
Students develop confidence in expressing sociological arguments, supported by theory and evidence. Discussion, debate, and extended writing are used to help students articulate informed views on social issues.
