Description
Our A Level Sociology online course at this online school invites students to explore the intricate workings of societies and the social forces that shape them. You will gain an in-depth understanding of the complexity and diversity of social structures, as well as the relationships between different societies and their historical contexts. This A Level Sociology online course equips you with the intellectual tools you need to appreciate and analyse contemporary social, cultural, and political issues in a reasoned and rigorous manner.
Our A Level Sociology course online offers a dynamic and comprehensive curriculum that fosters critical thinking and analytical skills. Whether you plan to continue your academic journey in sociology at the university level or aim to apply sociological perspectives in other fields, this course serves as a robust foundation.
Homework, Assessment and Reporting
In our online Sociology A Level course, students are expected to complete at least one piece of homework per subject each week. To assure success in the sixth form, revising notes to consolidate learning after each lesson is strongly recommended. Abiding by the principle that each hour of classroom instruction should be supplemented by an hour of independent study, our A Level Sociology online curriculum guarantees a balanced and in-depth educational experience.
A systematic assessment structure is in place to provide ongoing feedback. Level 5 internal assessments are administered in June, and Level 6 internal mock assessments are scheduled for November and March. Reports, which include grades for both attainment and effort, are issued at the end of the Autumn and Summer terms for Level 5, and after mock assessments in the Autumn and Spring terms for Level 6. These reports feature written comments from Success Coaches and the Head Teacher, further guiding your academic journey.
Parental Engagement
Parents are actively encouraged to use their family Teams account to engage in regular dialogue with teachers regarding their child’s progress. This approach provides the unique advantage of more detailed and continuous tracking of academic performance compared to a traditional annual parent consultation evening.
Our online Sociology A Level course not only prepares you for academic achievements but also equips you with the sociological understanding essential for navigating today’s increasingly complex world.
Click here to see this year’s Assessment and Reporting schedule
Watch a clip from the A Level Sociology taster session with Mrs Till:
Here is a small activity from Mrs Till’s Sociology taster session:
Read this fascinating description of the Shirbit culture, then ask yourself these questions:
Who are these people? Where do they live? Why do they behave like this?
Did you work it out? Do you know where this culture might be found? The answer is that this is an example of a belief and ritual from normal British culture (or in fact most Western cultures).
But how?
The shrine is the bathroom. The charm-box is the bathroom cabinet. The magical potions are toiletries and beauty products. The font is the sink. The ‘ritual of the mouth’ is dental hygiene and tooth-brushing. The men shave (‘lacerating their faces’) and the women use hair dryers and other heated tools.
How is this Sociology?
The point of this exercise is to see how our culture might be seen through the eyes of other cultures. What is ‘normal’ to us might be unfamiliar and even ludicrous to others. We must remember that everything is culturally relative, including us. When we look at other cultures, we do so with a whole set of beliefs and assumptions that we have grown up with, giving us our identity. There is no one culture that is ‘right’ or ‘normal’. Your ‘normal’ is somebody else’s ‘weird’.
- The family and social change
- Family roles, marriage and changing relationships
- The social construction of age
- The sociological perspective
- Socialisation and the creation of social identity
- Methods of research
- The relationship between theory and methods
- Education in social context
- Structures and processes within schools
- Development and inequality
- Global issues
- Ownership and control of the media
- Media representation and effects
Paper 1 – Socialisation, identity and methods of research
Written paper, 1 hour 30 minutes, 60 marks
Paper 1 contains two sections:
- Section A has three questions
- Section B has two essay questions
Candidates should answer all the questions in Section A, and choose one from two questions in Section B.
Section A
Question 1 is a short-answer question which requires candidates to demonstrate AO1 skills.
Question 2 has two parts (a and b):
- Part 2a questions require candidates to give two explanations for an issue, theory or viewpoint drawn from the syllabus, demonstrating AO1 and AO2 skills.
- Part 2b questions require candidates to evaluate a research method by explaining its strengths and/or limitations, demonstrating AO1 and AO3 skills.
Question 3 has two parts (a and b) based on a sociological view expressed in a quotation:
- Part 3a questions require candidates to explain the view expressed in the quotation, demonstrating AO1 and AO2 skills.
- Part 3b questions require candidates to use sociological material to argue against the view in the quotation, demonstrating AO2 and AO3 skills.
Section B
Questions 4 and 5 require an essay response, demonstrating AO1, AO2 and AO3 skills. Candidates should answer one of these two questions.
Paper 2 – The Family
Written paper, 1 hour 30 minutes, 60 marks
Paper 2 contains two sections:
- Section A has three questions
- Section B has two essay questions.
Candidates should answer all the questions in Section A, and choose one from two questions in Section B
Section A
Question 1 is a short-answer question which requires candidates to demonstrate AO1 skills.
Question 2 has two parts (a and b):
- Part 2a questions require candidates to give two explanations for an issue, theory or viewpoint drawn from the syllabus, demonstrating AO1 and AO2 skills.
- Part 2b questions require candidates to evaluate a sociological theory by explaining its strengths and/or limitations, demonstrating AO1 and AO3 skills.
Question 3 has two parts (a and b) based on a sociological view expressed in a quotation:
- Part 3a questions require candidates to explain the view expressed in the quotation, demonstrating AO1 and AO2 skills.
- Part 3b questions require candidates to use sociological material to argue against the view in the quotation, demonstrating AO2 and AO3 skills.
Section B
Questions 4 and 5 require an essay response, demonstrating AO1, AO2 and AO3 skills. Candidates should answer one of these two questions.
Paper 3 – Education
Written paper, 1 hour 15 minutes, 50 marks
Paper 3 has four questions, worth an increasing number of marks. Candidates should answer all the questions.
- Question 1 is a short-answer question which requires candidates to demonstrate AO1 skills.
- Question 2 requires candidates to give two explanations for an issue, theory or viewpoint drawn from the syllabus, demonstrating AO1 and AO2 skills.
- Question 3 is based on a sociological view expressed in a quotation. Candidates are required to use sociological material to give two arguments against the view in the quotation, demonstrating AO2 and AO3 skills.
- Question 4 requires an essay response, demonstrating AO1, AO2 and AO3 skills.
Paper 4 – Globalisation, Media and Religion
Written paper, 1 hour 45 minutes, 70 marks
Paper 4 contains three sections:
- Section A: Globalisation
- Section B: Media
- Section C: Religion
There are six essay questions, two in each section. Candidates should answer two questions, each from a different section.
These questions require an extended essay response, demonstrating AO1, AO2 and AO3 skills. Candidates should explore contrasting views or evidence, in order to show an understanding of the issues raised by the questions.
No special equipment is required other than a computer and internet access. Everything essential is provided in the lessons.
It is the parents’ responsibility to arrange their child’s examinations; our teachers will provide all the support required. Most students will sit their examination papers at a school or college who accept private candidates. Some students sit their examinations at private examination centres.
If you are intending to study A Level Sociology after IGCSE, we recommend that you spend some time in the summer holidays preparing. Here are some suggested activities:
Watch:
Quick Youtube clip – What is sociology???
Film – The Kids Are All Right (1995) – Available on all the major streaming services
Film – The History Boys (2006) – Available on all the major streaming services
Read:
Journal Article – The Economist – The stark relationship between income inequality and crime
Newspaper Article – BBC News – Miss America waves bye bye to bikinis
Newspaper Article – The Telegraph – The dark side of female empowerment: The rise of Britain’s ‘gangster girls’ running gangs
Newspaper Article – The Guardian – Secret Teacher: the emphasis on British history is depriving students of balance
Twitter – @TheSocReview – The Sociology Review A Level magazine
Instagram – @allsociology – allsociology
Listen:
A variety of interesting Sociology Podcasts – The Social Breakdown – the sociology podcast nobody wants, but everybody needs
A variety of interesting Sociology Podcasts – allsociology: take 1
What topics are covered in the online Sociology A Level course?
The A Level Sociology course online covers a variety of subjects such as the family and social change, methods of research, and global issues. Students will also explore the sociological perspective, socialisation and identity creation, and the effects and control of media, among other topics.
What kind of homework is required for the Sociology A Level online course?
Each week, sixth form students are expected to complete at least one homework assignment per subject. To further enhance their learning, students are also encouraged to revise their notes and engage in an hour of independent study for each instructional hour they receive.
How is student performance assessed in the Sociology A Level course?
Students undergo Level 5 internal assessments in June and Level 6 mock assessments in November and March. Following these assessments, reports are issued that not only provide grades for attainment and effort but also feature written comments from Success Coaches and the Head Teacher.
How can parents monitor their child’s progress in the online Sociology A Level?
Parents are recommended to use a family Teams account to maintain open communication with teachers. This enables a more detailed tracking of the student’s progress over the course of the academic year, beyond what is typically offered in an annual parent consultation evening.
What skills will students develop in the Sociology A Level online course?
The course aims to instil an understanding of complex social, cultural, and political issues in students. It teaches them to approach these issues in a rigorous, reasoned, and analytical manner, thereby building awareness of the intricacies of various societies and their interrelations.
The Teachers
Sociology at Cambridge Home School Online is taught by Mr Hirst, Mrs Till and Dr Elerian. Click on the names below to find out more about our Sociology teachers.