Psychology is the study of the human mind and behaviour. You will learn the different approaches in Psychology. The psychodynamic approach, biological, cognitive and behavioural approaches and you will use these to help you understand various aspects of being human. You will consider where our gender identity comes from, our relationship behaviour, and our tendency toward aggression and why we conform to authority. You will also apply these approaches to mental illness, how we define mental illness, how we explain it and how we treat it. Research methods is a big part of the A Level and you will have a chance to put what you learn here into practice in a none examined piece of coursework. Finally, Forensic Psychology is a new and fascinating topic on the syllabus for you to explore. It looks at offender profiling and the differences between criminal and non-criminal brains – amongst other things!
Key Stage 5
There are seven units studied during the first year of the A level course: Approaches in Psychology, Bio psychology, Social Influence, Psychopathology, Memory Attachment and Research methods. In the second year, there is more of Bio psychology and more research methods to complete. There are also some new topics: Relationships, Schizophrenia, and Forensic Psychology. At the end of the second year there are three written exams that will cover each of the units studied. There is a combination of multiple choice, short answer questions and essay questions.
Staff
- Ms S Bardy (Head of Department)
Intent & implementation
In Psychology, students are nurtured and challenged to produce their best work, to achieve academically and to surpass their goals. The department offers rich and engaging lessons taught by supportive and knowledgeable staff. Psychology aims to give students an understanding of the way people think and why people behave in the ways that they do. It tries to answer questions like, ‘why do some people conform to social rules when others don’t’ or, ‘do the experiences that you have before the age of five really shape the adult that you become’? In Psychology students learn a number of skills including analytical thinking, improved communication, problem solving and many more that will prepare them for a fantastic future and an exciting range of careers. Our curriculum offers a wide variety of topics such as ‘Social Influence’, which covers conformity, obedience and social change, and ‘Memory’ which investigates what memory is and how it works as well as why we forget and techniques to help us remember more. We look at different explanations for a variety of mental illnesses including depression, phobias. OCD and Schizophrenia, how these illnesses manifest themselves and what can be done to treat them. In the second year students study Forensic Psychology and investigate why some people commit crime. Students also complete a research project to develop their psychological knowledge and to demonstrate their understanding of research methods and how to evaluate them.
In Year 12 students study Social Influence, Memory, Attachment, Approaches, Psychopathology and research methods and they complete their individual research projects.
In Year 13 students will build on their knowledge of the year 12 topics and further develop their knowledge of Psychology through a comparison of the different approaches in Psychology, through the application of different issues and debates, for instance, the extent to which behaviour is determined by forces beyond our control. Students also study new topics including Bio psychology, which looks at the structure and function of the brain, the nervous system, neuro chemicals and hormones. They investigate Romantic relationships and the nature of attraction, Schizophrenia and Forensic Psychology, which considers offender profiling and biological and psychological explanations of offending behaviour.
Developing Cultural Capital
In psychology students are encouraged to use key terminology in their oracy and literacy and to develop the use of the elaborated code in their written work. The curriculum is structured so that all students can benefit and access the content of the course comfortably as they move through the units. Knowledge of culture is developed through the exploration of issues and debates in psychology, the extent to which psychological theory is culturally or gender biased and the historical impact psychological research has had on different social groups. Wider reading is encouraged through the provision of a range of text books and revision guides and the Psychology Review journal. In addition, the department is working with the library to develop a stock of contemporary psychological literature to develop and stimulate learning.
Careers Education
In psychology, our students are encouraged to develop the skills required for work. We foster ambition and a desire to be the best we can through high expectations and the delivery of high-quality teaching.
By completing the A level course of study students develop skills in data analysis and maths, they learn to evaluate ideas and theories effectively and they build team working skills and attention to detail. Many students complete the A level and go on to start university degrees in related subjects such as psychology, probation services, counselling psychology and criminology.
