Psychology structures the curriculum intoa2 year KS4 and a 2 year KS5 curriculum. The curriculum is a progressive model. Subject and cross subject sequencing intends to develop schemata making subsequent learning possible.
Subject specialists have given consideration and thought to the sequence and rationale of the curriculum; why we teach the content we do and in the order that we do. This is to ensure knowledge is not isolated information; it is connected knowledge that enables comprehension.
At Key Stage 4, the full OCR GCSE 9-1 Psychology is delivered. Content is structured into units. The curriculum is designed to ensure students essential knowledge of a broad range of psychological theories, explanations, models and studies are fully developed with opportunities to apply and evaluate to show deep understanding. Each lesson builds on prior learning, allowing connections to be made between content Units have been organised and designed to promote learning and provide depth and breadth of understanding
At Key Stage 5 the AQA Psychology is delivered. Content is structured into units. We do not ‘teach to the test.’ The curriculum is designed to ensure students essential knowledge and skills of application and evaluation are fully developed. Each lesson builds on prior learning, allowing connections to be made between content. Units have been organised and designed to promote learning and provide depth and breadth of understanding
Student voice has been conducted to ensure that students have a contribution to the curriculum content. This has resulted in greater access to exam scripts from past students being introduced., this has supported students to address misconceptions.
The Psychology department is a member of the Association for Psychology Teachers and works alongside the School Improvement Partners to quality assure our curriculum and ensure that it provides a high quality and comprehensive curriculum for all.
We assess an ever expanding curriculum and assess using formative and summative assessment. Summative assessment samples from the whole curriculum – not just what has been most recently taught.
Sociology structures the curriculum into a 2 year KS5 curriculum. The curriculum is a progressive model. Subject and cross subject sequencing intends to develop schemata making subsequent learning possible.
Subject specialists have given consideration and thought to the sequence and rationale of the curriculum; why we teach the content we do and in the order that we do. This is to ensure knowledge is not isolated information; it is connected knowledge that enables comprehension.
At Key Stage 5 the AQA Sociology is delivered. Content is structured into units. We do not ‘teach to the test.’ The curriculum is designed to ensure students acquire essential knowledge of the Sociology of British society and the ability to apply and evaluate knowledge is fully developed. Each lesson builds on prior learning, allowing connections to be made between content. Units have been organised and designed to promote learning and provide depth and breadth of understanding
The Sociology department works alongside the School Improvement Partners to quality assure our curriculum and ensure that it provides a high quality and comprehensive curriculum for all.
The curriculum is a progressive model. Subject and cross subject sequencing intends to develop schemata making subsequent learning possible.
Health and Social Care structures the curriculum into a two year KS5 curriculum. The curriculum is a progressive model. Subject and cross subject sequencing intends to develop schemata making subsequent learning possible.
Subject specialists have given consideration and thought to the sequence and rationale of the curriculum; why we teach the content we do and in the order that we do. This is to ensure knowledge is not isolated information; it is connected knowledge that enables comprehension.
At Key Stage 5 the Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate in Health and Social Care is delivered. Content is structured into units. We do not ‘teach to the test.’ The curriculum is designed to ensure students essential knowledge and skills of application and evaluation are fully developed. Each lesson builds on prior learning, allowing connections to be made between content. Units have been organised and designed to promote learning and provide depth and breadth of understanding
Student voice has been conducted to ensure that students have a contribution to the curriculum content. This has resulted in students having access to bespoke programmes for wider support and guidance linked to their own learning.
The Health and Social Care department works alongside the School Improvement Partners to quality assure our curriculum and ensure that it provides a high quality and comprehensive curriculum for all.
The curriculum is a progressive model. Subject and cross subject sequencing intends to develop schemata making subsequent learning possible.
Pedagogical approach
The pedagogical approach for Psychology, Sociology and Health and Social Care adheres to the LLT Teaching and Learning Policy. Subject specialists deliver the curriculum through50,55-minute lessons per fortnight
Rosenshine and ‘Teach Like a Champion’ strategies are implemented in all lessons and lesson episodes are designed to enable students to store knowledge into the long-term memory.
Tasks and activities are engaging and whenever possible are linked to local context, careers and progression and develop cultural capital. Examples include use of local newspapers as stimuli for explaining and applying theories and models eg Jamie Bulger case; role of rehabilitation through BBC documentary about local prison HMP Altcourse;
Lessons are structured to enable students to review/retrieve prior knowledge and activate it to make connections with new learning. This is through ‘Do It Now’ tasks at the start of each lesson
In each lesson, students are informed what they are learning and what the outcomes for the lesson are. We call these ‘WALT’ (What we are all learning today,) and ‘WILF’ (What I’m Looking For.)
New information is delivered in small steps and models are provided to support student comprehension. For example, key terminology identified and used to construct theories which are then applied to explain real life behaviour in Psychology and Sociology eg. Material and Cultural deprivation as explanations for underachievement by social class in Sociology; Social Learning theory of Crime in Psychology; the role of care values, eg promoting individual rights and beliefs, in Health and Social Care
Lessons provide opportunities for students to practice applying their new learning. This may include guided and/or independent practice.
Questioning is used to inform adaptive teaching, and this includes techniques such as ‘right is right’ to ensure students accurately and clearly articulate their responses.
Students are asked to complete practical based activities such as independent research using online resources; designing and carrying out research to develop essential knowledge and understanding through practical application eg memory experiments in psychology ; presentations in sociology; drafting of written responses on whiteboards across all disciplines
Students develop essential knowledge and then apply it in activities that ‘bring it all together.’ This ensures they connect knowledge and learning.
Assessment takes place and these assess the curriculum to date, in the form of formative and summative assessment tasks. These are carefully considered and link directly to the curriculum intent for the half term.
Clear ‘essential knowledge reading’ activities are provided to support reading development and provide depth and breadth to the curriculum. These include knowledge organisers, text books; articles from newspapers and online articles and publications.
In Psychology teachers:
Clearly communicate their subject discipline using appropriate vocabulary. This includes the use of command words, vocabulary lists, Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary
In Psychology, Sociology and Health and Social Care we provide opportunities for students to ‘bring together’ knowledge developed. This is through extended writing tasks.
To develop oracy the Psychology, Sociology and Health and Social Care uses:
The Linguistic strand of oracy including vocabulary and language
The Cognitive strands of oracy including content; structure; clarifying and social/emotional
We also prioritise disciplinary literacy so that students are confident in subject specific vocabulary which is contextualised and communicated appropriately across all disciplines
We also develop students ability to read complex academic texts through reading tasks each lesson that are varied and challenging and that promote access our essential knowledge
Targeted vocabulary is used in every lesson with explicit instruction and opportunities for frequent opportunities for use by students in written and verbal tasks.
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