Subject aim
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and how it dictates and influences our behaviour, from communication and memory to thought and emotion. It’s about understanding what makes people tick and how this understanding can help us address many of the problems and issues in our society today. The GCSE and A-Level Psychology curriculums aim to give students a strong foundation to pursue a career in the field to Psychology or to study a related subject at degree level. In addition, the study of Psychology aims to establish proficiency in critical writing and an understanding of the scientific process which will equip students with these highly sought after academic skills.
Details about the curriculum structure
Psychology is taught at Key Stages 4 and 5 as an optional GCSE or A-Level subject. The curriculum is designed to utilise the literacy, numeracy and scientific skills acquired by students in other subjects lower down the school. We promote intellectual curiosity by encouraging students to ask their own questions about human behaviour, subsequently giving them confidence in thinking critically. The curriculum is highly applied to the real world and students are able to apply their knowledge of theories and research within the subject to their own life experiences
Key Stage 4
We offer two different GCSE programmes for Psychology. A three-year GCSE which starts in Year 9 and a two-year GCSE which starts in Year 10. Students will sit 2 exams at the end of Yr11, both 90 minutes long. Both courses cover the same topics and all student will sit the same exams at the end of Yr11, the hours of teaching are simply spread out differently over the 2 or 3 years.
Key Stage 5
Students are taught Psychology over 10 hours per fortnight. Students can study A Level Psychology whether they have completed the GCSE course or not, it is completely accessible for students who did not study the GCSE. Students will sit 3 exams at the end of Yr13, all 2 hours long.
