GCSE Sociology is designed to help students better understand the world they live in. The course helps students to question the world around them and reflect on the experiences they have had. As Corby is a predominantly working-class area the cohort of students at CTS mainly come from these backgrounds. They are diverse in ethnicity and cultural backgrounds, therefore studying the experiences students from varying background may have, and the impact this could have on their futures in relatable content. Within the course students explore ethnic and cultural identity and a core theme, alongside what impacts educational achievement by strata such as ethnicity, class and gender. This course therefore encourages students to review statistical research in a challenging way, whilst encouraging them to push against stereotypes and be ambitious in the pursuit of academia.

The course follows the WJEC syllabus with students studying the core topics of Education, Families, Crime and Deviance and Social Stratification which are underpinned by key theoretical perspectives and research methods, exploring issues such as inequality, the distribution and use of power and experiences of different social groups in society. Throughout the specification students are expected to be able to critically evaluate different methods of sociological research/data which requires students think like and act like a ‘sociologist’. This skill is transferable to Geography and Science where students are required to do complete research.

The content is sequenced progressively with students in year 10 beginning with an overview of sociological theory and with careful thought for embedding the disciplinary knowledge through interleaving research methods rather than being taught as one block. Throughout the curriculum, students are also explicitly taught the disciplinary knowledge required to become an articulate scholar within the field of Sociology with a clear focus on assessment objectives and exam application with clear modelling and opportunity for student practice. 

The Sociology curriculum encourages students to:

• Apply their 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.

At KS4, students study WJEC (C200QS) GCSE Sociology.