Curriculum Scheme

Sociology
Curriculum Scheme

The fundamental aim of a curriculum scheme is to coherently plan and sequence the cumulative acquisition of subject content to facilitate retention, recall
and application.

CREATE Curriculum

Curriculum schemes are underpinned by the CREATE Curriculum which brings together the key interrelated aspects of curriculum structure, design and
delivery into a single coherent entity.

CREATE Element Description

Challenge Stretch and extend learning to foster a deeper understanding beyond the content of the National Curriculum and GCSE specifications.
Regulate Plan, monitor and evaluate specific aspects of learning to foster greater responsibility and independence – DRAFT.
Enhance Consolidate and develop transferable literacy and numeracy skills.
Adapt teaching to take account of different pupils’ needs and provide an opportunity for all pupils to achieve.
Adapt and Assess
Undertake regular in-class assessment to monitor strengths and highlight specific areas of improvement.
Target Consolidate identified strengths and develop and overcome areas of improvement.
Enhance physical and emotional wellbeing; develop social, spiritual, moral and cultural capital; and provide opportunities and
Enrich
experiences to successfully transition to the next stage from secondary education.

Curriculum Allocation

Year Group 7 8 9 10 11
Number of Lessons - - - 3 3
Curriculum Intent

Sociology is not a National Curriculum foundation subject and is not taught discreetly at Key Stage 3.

Key Stage 4

Sociology is a GCSE option subject - Sociology GCSE (8192)

Learning Intentions
• Apply sociological knowledge, understanding and skills to develop an understanding of relationships and tension between social structures and
individual agency within a UK and global context.
• Critically analyse information and use evidence to make informed arguments, reach substantiated judgements and draw conclusions.
• Use and apply their knowledge and understanding of how social structures and processes influence social control, power and inequality.
• Use sociological theories to understand social issues, debates, social changes and continuities over time.
• Understand and evaluate sociological methodology and a range of research methods.
• Use sociological terminology appropriately and make connections between the key areas of subject content.

Curriculum Assessment
Key Stage 4 GCSE Scheme of Assessment

AQA GCSE Sociology Scheme of Assessment

Curriculum Overview

Key Stage 4

Year Group Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term

Introducing Sociology Sociology of the Family The Sociology of Education
The Sociological Approach
• Different views of the role and functions
• Interrelationship between the core areas • The sociology of families. of education.
of sociology. • Different views of the role and function of • The functionalist perspective of Durkheim
• Conflict vs. consensus. the family on education as the transmission of
• How sociological knowledge and ideas • Family Diversity norms and values and Parsons on
change over time. • Different views of conjugal relationships achieved status and the operation of
• Contextualised work - Durkheim, Marx • The Feminist perspective of the schools on meritocratic principles.
and Weber. Conventional Family • Different views of the correspondence
• Feminism • Examination of how families have principle on the relationship between
• Functionalism changed over time and how relationships education and capitalism as developed
• Interactionism within the family have changed from a Marxist perspective by Bowles and
10 • Marxism • Different criticisms of family life Gintis.
• Factors affecting educational
Sociological Research Methods Changes in the pattern of divorce in Britain achievement.
since 1945and the consequences of divorce • The work of Halsey on class-based
for family members inequalities and Ball on parental choice
• How to use sociological research methods and competition between schools.
as outlined in the topics and how they • Processes within schools affecting
apply in the specified contexts i.e. educational achievement.
families, education, crime and deviance,
social stratification. The work of Ball on teacher expectations
and Willis on the creation of counter
Pupils will undertake small-scale research school cultures.
projects in order to develop their
understanding of the practical difficulties
 faced by the sociologists working in the
field.
Crime and Deviance Social Stratification

• The social construction of concepts of • Different views of the functionalist theory

crime and deviance and explanations of of social stratification.
crime and deviance. • The work of Davis and Moore on social
• The work of Merton on the causes of stratification from a functionalist
crime from a functionalist perspective and perspective.
Becker from an interactionist perspective. • Different views of socio-economic class.
• Formal and informal methods of social • The work of Marx and Weber on socio-
control. economic class.
• The work of Heidensohn on female • Different views on factors affecting life
conformity in male dominated patriarchal chances.
societies. • The work of Devine revisiting the idea of
11
• Factors affecting criminal and deviant the affluent worker.
behaviour and ways in which criminal and • Different interpretations of poverty as a
deviant behaviour have generated public social issue.
debate. • The work of Townsend on relative
• The work of Albert Cohen on delinquent deprivation and Murray on the
subcultures and Carlen on women, crime underclass.
and poverty. • Different forms of power and authority.
• The work of Weber on power and
The usefulness of the main sources of authority.
data on crime, the collection of official • Describe and explain different views on
data on crime, patterns and trends in factors affecting power relationships.
crime figures and the ‘dark figure’.
The work of Walby on patriarchy.
Curriculum Content
Year 10

Topic The Sociological Approach

C R E A T E
NC Learning Intention N/A
To recognise key social structures and social processes
To understand how key Sociologists-Marx, Durkheim and Weber have contributed to the discipline
To consider how key perspectives-functionalism, Marxism, Feminism and Interactionism understand
Lesson Learning
social structures, processes ✓ ✓ ✓
Intentions
To identify key sociological terms including society, culture, socialisation, norms, values, roles,
labelling, discrimination, power and authority
To examine different social issues and Sociological responses to them
Low stake retrieval practice to inform planning and adapt teaching as required
Introduction of key words and definitions
Completion of exercises and tasks to consolidate learning
Class discussion and targeted questioning to stimulate debate on sociological issues
Think, Pair, Share activities
Lesson Tasks ✓
Use of newspaper articles to prompt discussion
Source based activities, eg. statistical data or an extract from a book- developing skills in analysis and
making sense of information
Consider the research of Sociologists and evaluate its contribution to the discipline
Practice exam questions with mark schemes
Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 Sociology Student Book
www.bbc.co.uk/news
Free Homework & Revision for A Level, GCSE, KS3 & KS2 (senecalearning.com)
Resources ✓ ✓ ✓
Teaching and Learning Resources | tutor2u
Tutor2u daily sociology questions on Instagram
https://thesociologyguy.com/
DRAFT Extension and consolidation tasks to complete following written or whole class feedback ✓
 Tier 3: socialisation, primary socialisation, secondary socialisation, social construct, anomie, social
order, bourgeoisie, proletariat, capitalism, patriarchy, culture, norms, values, status, institution,
agency
Literacy Tier 2: adequate, analogy, attribute, authority, predominant, subsequent, significant, imperative, ✓
facilitate, feasible, implications, consistent, decipher, assimilate, ambiguous, plausible, diverse,
sufficient, perspective, conformity, indifferent, culminate, implicit, explicit, exemplify, insinuate,
justification, articulate
Numeracy Focus on Research Tasks-Statistical analysis ✓
Design a new society. Consider plans for education, law and order, criminal justice, family life. What
Challenge ✓ ✓
would you change/keep?
 Topic Sociological Research Methods
C R E A T E
NC Learning Intention N/A
To identify, describe and explain various methods and methodological issues
To identify the difference between quantitative and qualitative data
To identify differences between primary and secondary data
To understand the process of research design
Lesson Learning
To identify sampling methods ✓ ✓ ✓
Intentions
To identify and explain the strengths and weaknesses of methods including surveys and
questionnaires, interviews, observations, longitudinal studies and experiments
To identify practical difficulties and ethical issues in research
To demonstrate the ability to interpret data presented in a variety of forms
Low stake retrieval practice to inform planning and adapt teaching as required
Introduction of key words and definitions
Completion of exercises and tasks to consolidate learning
Undertake small scale research projects
Lesson Tasks Think, Pair, Share activities ✓
Source based activities, eg. statistical data or an extract from a book- developing skills in analysis and
making sense of information
Consider the research of Sociologists and evaluate its contribution to the discipline
Practice exam questions with mark schemes
Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 Sociology Student Book
www.bbc.co.uk/news
Free Homework & Revision for A Level, GCSE, KS3 & KS2 (senecalearning.com)
Resources ✓ ✓ ✓
Teaching and Learning Resources | tutor2u
Tutor2u daily sociology questions on Instagram
https://census.gov.uk/
DRAFT Extension and consolidation tasks to complete following written or whole class feedback ✓
Tier 3: quantitative, qualitative, content analysis, pilot study, triangulation, sampling, hypothesis,
validity, research process, survey, questionnaire, sample, statistics, aim, representative,
Tier 2: adequate, analogy, attribute, authority, predominant, subsequent, significant, imperative,
Literacy ✓
facilitate, feasible, implications, consistent, decipher, assimilate, ambiguous, plausible, diverse,
sufficient, perspective, conformity, indifferent, culminate, implicit, explicit, exemplify, insinuate,
justification, articulate
Numeracy Focus on Research Tasks-Statistical analysis, content analysis ✓
Research the Census 2021 results. Choose 4 areas to compare to 2011 e.g. religion, marriage,
Challenge housing, family size. Present findings to class and consider implications for society e.g decline in ✓ ✓
Christianity and increases in Islam
 Topic The Sociology of the Family
C R E A T E
NC Learning Intention N/A
To consider how family forms differ in the UK and within a global context
To explore the work of the Rappoports in explaining diversity
To examine the different views of the functions of the family- Functionalist, Feminist and Marxist
approaches
To examine different views of conjugal relationships-Functionalist, Feminist and Marxist approaches
Lesson Learning
To consider factors that have affected and changed relationships within families ✓ ✓ ✓
Intentions
To evaluate whether the family has become more symmetrical
To evaluate criticisms of families and understand how the family can be a dysfunctional unit
To consider changes in the pattern of divorce and the factors that have led to these changes
To demonstrate understanding of the consequences of divorce for different family members
To examine different views of divorce-Functionalist, Feminist and Marxist Approaches
Low stake retrieval practice to inform planning and adapt teaching as required
Introduction of key words and definitions
Completion of exercises and tasks to consolidate learning
Class discussion and targeted questioning to stimulate debate on sociological issues
Think, Pair, Share activities
Lesson Tasks ✓
Use of newspaper articles to prompt discussion
Source based activities, eg. statistical data or an extract from a book- developing skills in analysis and
making sense of information
Consider the research of Sociologists and evaluate its contribution to the discipline
Practice exam questions with mark schemes
Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 Sociology Student Book
www.bbc.co.uk/news
Free Homework & Revision for A Level, GCSE, KS3 & KS2 (senecalearning.com)
Resources ✓ ✓ ✓
Teaching and Learning Resources | tutor2u
Tutor2u daily sociology questions on Instagram
https://thesociologyguy.com/
DRAFT Extension and consolidation tasks to complete following written or whole class feedback ✓
Tier 3: reconstituted, nuclear, dual career families, division of labour, symmetrical family, stratified
Literacy diffusion, Warm bath Theory, socialisation, segregated conjugal roles, patriarchy, extended, ✓
diversity, lone parent, divorce,
 Tier 2: adequate, analogy, attribute, authority, predominant, subsequent, significant, imperative,
facilitate, feasible, implications, consistent, decipher, assimilate, ambiguous, plausible, diverse,
sufficient, perspective, conformity, indifferent, culminate, implicit, explicit, exemplify, insinuate,
justification, articulate
Numeracy Focus on Research Tasks-opportunity for data analysis on rates of marriage and divorce ✓
Content Analysis: Watch adverts during prime time tv and make a note of the products advertised
and how, the roles performed by men and women. Do adverts reinforce stereotypical images of the
Challenge ✓ ✓
traditional nuclear family? Extension: in what ways has the increase in family diversity been positive
or negative for society?
 Topic The Sociology of Education
C R E A T E
NC Learning Intention N/A
To examine different views of the role and functions of education including serving the needs of the
economy, facilitating social mobility and fostering social cohesion
To identify the diversity within schools including primary and secondary, state and private
To describe and compare sociological approaches to the functions of education-Functionalist,
Feminist, Marxist and Interactionist approaches
Lesson Learning
To recognise key features of the correspondence principle suggested by Bowles and Gintis and ✓ ✓ ✓
Intentions
sociological approaches to this theory
To identify, describe and explain factors affecting educational achievement including class, gender
and ethnicity
To identify, describe and explain various processes within schools affecting educational achievement
including streaming, setting, mixed ability teaching, labelling and the self-fulfilling prophecy
Low stake retrieval practice to inform planning and adapt teaching as required
Introduction of key words and definitions
Completion of exercises and tasks to consolidate learning
Class discussion and targeted questioning to stimulate debate on sociological issues
Think, Pair, Share activities
Lesson Tasks ✓
Use of newspaper articles to prompt discussion
Source based activities, eg. statistical data or an extract from a book- developing skills in analysis and
making sense of information
Consider the research of Sociologists and evaluate its contribution to the discipline
Practice exam questions with mark schemes
Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 Sociology Student Book
www.bbc.co.uk/news
Free Homework & Revision for A Level, GCSE, KS3 & KS2 (senecalearning.com)
Resources ✓ ✓ ✓
Teaching and Learning Resources | tutor2u
Tutor2u daily sociology questions on Instagram
https://thesociologyguy.com/
DRAFT Extension and consolidation tasks to complete following written or whole class feedback ✓
Tier 3: correspondence principle, social cohesion, particularistic standards, universal standards,
Literacy labelling, self fulfilling prophecy, league tables, marketisation, cultural capital, cultural deprivation, ✓
material deprivation, subcultures, hidden curriculum, gendered curriculum, ethnocentric curriculum
 Subcultures, meritocracy, achievement, sets, mixed ability, private school, state school, academy,
comprehensive, grammar
Tier 2: adequate, analogy, attribute, authority, predominant, subsequent, significant, imperative,
facilitate, feasible, implications, consistent, decipher, assimilate, ambiguous, plausible, diverse,
sufficient, perspective, conformity, indifferent, culminate, implicit, explicit, exemplify, insinuate,
justification, articulate
Examination of league tables to help understand levels of achievement between social groups and
Numeracy ✓
locations
Investigate the impact of the pandemic on society’s poorest children. Interview the Headteacher
Challenge ✓ ✓
about how the school has tried to address the issues. Bring in key perspectives-Marxist and Feminist
Year 11

Topic The Sociology of Crime and Deviance

C R E A T E
NC Learning Intention N/A
To identify, describe and explain how crime and deviance can be seen as a social construct
To examine theoretical responses to the social construction of crime and deviance-Functionalist,
Feminist, Marxist and Interactionist approaches
To recognise the difference between informal and formal social control including unwritten rules
and sanctions and theoretical perspectives on control-Functionalist, Feminist and Marxist
Lesson Learning approaches
✓ ✓ ✓
Intentions To identify, describe and explain factors affecting criminal and deviant behaviour including class,
age, gender and ethnicity
To consider public debates about crime and deviance including concerns over violent crime,
sentencing, young offenders, prisons and media coverage
To demonstrate understanding of delinquent subcultures
To examine the correlation between women, crime and poverty
Low stake retrieval practice to inform planning and adapt teaching as required
Introduction of key words and definitions
Completion of exercises and tasks to consolidate learning
Class discussion and targeted questioning to stimulate debate on sociological issues
Think, Pair, Share activities
Lesson Tasks ✓
Use of newspaper articles to prompt discussion
Source based activities, eg. statistical data or an extract from a book- developing skills in analysis and
making sense of information
Consider the research of Sociologists and evaluate its contribution to the discipline
Practice exam questions with mark schemes
Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 Sociology Student Book
www.bbc.co.uk/news
Free Homework & Revision for A Level, GCSE, KS3 & KS2 (senecalearning.com)
Resources ✓ ✓ ✓
Teaching and Learning Resources | tutor2u
Tutor2u daily sociology questions on Instagram
https://thesociologyguy.com/
DRAFT Extension and consolidation tasks to complete following written or whole class feedback ✓
 Tier 3: Legislature, institutional racism, strain theory, consumerism, white collar crime, double
deviance, chivalry thesis, labelling, master status, deviant career, status frustration, deferred and
immediate gratification, deviancy amplification, folk devil, moral panic, gate keepers, crime,
deviance, social control, criminal justice system, policing, peer group, prison, young offender
Literacy ✓
Tier 2: adequate, analogy, attribute, authority, predominant, subsequent, significant, imperative,
facilitate, feasible, implications, consistent, decipher, assimilate, ambiguous, plausible, diverse,
sufficient, perspective, conformity, indifferent, culminate, implicit, explicit, exemplify, insinuate,
justification, articulate
Examination of police statistics and the CSEW to identify patterns and trends and the ‘dark figure of
Numeracy crime’ ✓
Examination of stop and search statistics in the local area according to Essex police.
Investigate different examples of criminal justice around the world, death penalty, sharia law etc,
comparing countries across the Middle East, Asia, North America, Scandinavia and the UK. Write a
speech as a politician arguing for change in the UK
Challenge ✓ ✓
Content Analysis: look at the headlines of 3 different newspapers/websites. What news stories are
repeated? How does this link to news values and gatekeepers? Is there a moral panic? Who are the
current folk devils?
 Topic Social Stratification
C R E A T E
NC Learning Intention N/A
To describe and explain the functionalist theory of stratification, including effective role allocation
and performance linked to the promise of rewards.
To describe and explain Marxist and Feminist perspectives on the functionalist theory
To identify and describe class divisions in society
To examine theoretical perspectives on class division-Functionalist, Feminist and Marxist approaches
To demonstrate understanding of the key ideas of Marx and Weber on class
To identify, describe and explain factors affecting Life chances including class, gender, race and
ethnicity, sexuality, age, disability and religion
To identify, describe and explain different interpretations of poverty as a social issue-the culture of
poverty, government response to poverty, material deprivation
Lesson Learning
To explain the New Right perspective on poverty and the Underclass ✓ ✓ ✓
Intentions
To examine how poverty can be relative
To identify and describe different forms of power and authority
To compare and contrast theoretical perspectives on power and authority-Functionalist, Feminist
and Marxist approaches
To evaluate arguments made by Weber on power and authority
To identify , describe and explain different factors affecting power relationships including social class,
gender, sexuality, race, age, disability and religion
To compare and contrast theoretical perspectives on power relationships-Functionalist, Feminist
and Marxist approaches
To examine how society can be patriarchal
Low stake retrieval practice to inform planning and adapt teaching as required
Introduction of key words and definitions
Completion of exercises and tasks to consolidate learning
Class discussion and targeted questioning to stimulate debate on sociological issues
Think, Pair, Share activities
Lesson Tasks ✓
Use of newspaper articles to prompt discussion
Source based activities, eg. statistical data or an extract from a book- developing skills in analysis and
making sense of information
Consider the research of Sociologists and evaluate its contribution to the discipline
Practice exam questions with mark schemes
 Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 Sociology Student Book
www.bbc.co.uk/news
Free Homework & Revision for A Level, GCSE, KS3 & KS2 (senecalearning.com)
Resources ✓ ✓ ✓
Teaching and Learning Resources | tutor2u
Tutor2u daily sociology questions on Instagram
https://thesociologyguy.com/
DRAFT Extension and consolidation tasks to complete following written or whole class feedback ✓
Tier 3: Achieved status, Ascribed status, Bourgeoisie, proletariat, embourgeoisement, affluence,
meritocracy, charismatic authority, traditional authority, underclass, absolute poverty, relative
poverty, capitalism, inequality, power, status, income, elite, ageism, prejudice, racism, sexism,
gender pay gap, working class, upper class, middle class, poverty, deprivation, social mobility
Literacy ✓
Tier 2: adequate, analogy, attribute, authority, predominant, subsequent, significant, imperative,
facilitate, feasible, implications, consistent, decipher, assimilate, ambiguous, plausible, diverse,
sufficient, perspective, conformity, indifferent, culminate, implicit, explicit, exemplify, insinuate,
justification, articulate
Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Use the statistics to prepare a report on poverty and ethnicity before
Numeracy ✓
and after pandemic
Research family history. Can you find evidence of social mobility either within or between
generations?
Challenge ✓ ✓
Find out who the wealthiest members of society are using the Sunday Times rich list. Research how
they have accumulated their wealth and link to life chances.