Social Science

Economics A Level (Social Science Faculty)

Course Summary

A level Economics encourages learners to develop an interest in and enthusiasm for the subject as well as to appreciate the contribution of economics to the understanding of the wider economic and social environment.  It also helps learners develop an understanding of a range of concepts and an ability to use those concepts in a variety of different contexts. They will also understand that economic behaviour can be studied from a range of perspectives as well as developing their analytical and quantitative skills, together with qualities and attitudes which will equip them for the challenges, opportunities and responsibilities of adult and working life.

A Level Economics Topics: Microeconomic theory · Theoretical working of the free market · Imperfections and market failures · Macroeconomy functions on a domestic and global level · Policy approaches · Changes in macroeconomics over time

Where might it lead

The study of A level Economics can assist learners to progress to Higher Education and employment. It particularly lends itself to careers in financial markets, accountancy, law, the civil service, politics and data analysis.

Entrance Criteria

In addition to a minimum of 5 GCSE’s inc Maths and English at grade 5 or above

Grade 6 in a humanities GCSE subject.

Assessment

A Level Economics

• Microeconomics 80 marks 2 hour written paper = 33.3%
• Macroeconomics 80 marks 2 hour written paper = 33.3%
• Themes in economics 80 marks 2 hour written paper = 33.3%

Exam Board

OCR

Contact details

Mrs Fiona Routs – frs@knutsfordacademy.org.uk Head of Business Studies and Economics

Law A Level (Social Science Faculty)

Course Summary

A Level Law provides an introduction to law. It allows students to learn about a fascinating subject, one which covers many aspects of life.

Students of A Level Law will:

• Develop an understanding of law and how it works

• Learn more about society from a legal perspective – both contemporary and historical

• Learn about the interaction between law and morals, justice and society

• Learn about different areas of law – e.g. criminal law, human rights, contract and tort

• Make connections with business, economics, history and politics

• Develop academic skills, including analysis and evaluation

• Be able to make an informed decision about future careers.

Where might it lead

Some students take A Level Law because they already know that they want a career in law. The A Level gives an excellent introduction for students who want to read law at university or start a legal apprenticeship. It demystifies the law. Universities recognise the advantages of A Level Law and the old view that it should not be studied has long since faded away. The OCR course has been developed following the advice of teachers, students and universities.

A Level Law is not just for students who want to enter the legal professions. It is a well respected subject and is a welcome addition to many A Level programmes of study. A Level Law links well with science subjects and humanities and social science subjects including, history, sociology, philosophy, economics and business, to name just a few!

Entrance Criteria

In addition to a minimum of 5 GCSE’s inc Maths and English at grade 5 or above.

Grade 6 in a Humanities subject.

Assessment

A Level Law

• Paper 1 - Legal Systems and Criminal Law
• Paper 2 - Law Making and Tort Law
• Paper 3 - Nature of Law and Contract

Exam Board

OCR

Contact details

Mrs E Henney – ehy@knutsfordacademy.org.uk Head of Law

Psychology A Level (Social Science Faculty)

Course Summary

The course provides students with an insight into the reasons for human behaviour across a range of topics including:

Relationships, criminality, schizophrenia, addiction, memory, happiness, phobias, child-development, brain dysfunction, biochemistry, genetics, obedience, the unconscious, conditioning, free will and positive thinking.

Students will also have chance to explore the practical side of the subject and will study a range of applications and contemporary debates such as:

Brain surgery, dream analysis, systematic desensitisation, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness, neuroscience, parenting, eye-witness testimony, punishment of criminals, anti-psychotic medication and behaviour management.

Where might it lead

An A-level in Psychology will provide you with a huge amount of knowledge on human behaviour and can lead to a wide variety of careers. The jobs listed below are only suggestions. The beauty of studying Psychology is that it lends itself very well to any work involving interaction with others.

Teacher/counselling/police/judiciary/child care/social work/therapist/retail/customer services/marketing/advertising

Student perspective

“I enjoy Psychology due to it’s variation and the fact that we can relate everything we learn to aspects of contemporary society. The main base in the Sixth Form Block allows for consistency and frequent contact with dedicated teaching staff which allows me to be more confident in my psychological studies. Whilst highly academic there is never a dull moment and I would recommend it to anyone.”

Suzannah Woodhouse Prefect Year 13

Entrance Criteria

In addition to a minimum of 5 GCSE’s inc Maths and English at grade 5 or above.

GCSE Psychology grade 6 OR Maths & Science (Biology) grade 6

Assessment Criteria

A Level

• Past to Present (33.3%) 2 hours 15 minutes
• Investigating Behaviour (33.3%) 2 hours 15 minutes
• Implications In The Real World (33.3%) 2 hours 15 minutes

Exam Board

EDUQAS

Contact details

Mr Ryan Walker – rwr@knutsfordacademy.org.uk Head of Social Sciences

Sociology A Level (Social Science Faculty)

Course Summary

The subject explores society and its make-up and provides explanations for the ways in which groups of people in society interact and exist. Sociology is the study of society and provides you with an insight into structral and individual patterns of human communication. Some of the common areas of study across all Sociology course include concepts such as:

Class, age, gender, ethnicity, consensus, exploiation, hierarchy, stratification, role, status, norms, values, morals, ideologies, differentiation, equality, conflict, labelling, policy, the state, governement, globalisation, diversity, media and religion.

The course will cover 3 key areas of social life as well as considering how sociologists conduct research. The key areas of study will be Education, Family and Households and Crime and Deviance.

Where might it lead

An A-level in Sociology will provide you with a huge amount of knowledge on human behaviour and can lead to a wide variety of careers. The jobs listed below are only suggestions. The beauty of studying Sociology is that it lends itself very well to any work involving interaction with others.

Teacher/counselling/police/judiciary/child care/social work/therapist/retail/customer services/marketing/advertising.

Entrance Criteria

In addition to a minimum of 5 GCSE’s inc Maths and English at grade 5 or above.

GCSE Humanities subject grade 6 and English GCSE grade 6

Assessment

A Level

• Education with Methods in Context – 33.3%
• Research Methods and Topics in Sociology – 33.3%
• Crime and deviance with Theory and Methods – 33.3%

Exam Board

AQA

Contact details

Mr Ryan Walker – rwr@knutsfordacademy.org.uk Head of Social Sciences

The BTEC Enterprise and Entrepreneurship course is designed to inspire learners by equipping them with the practical knowledge and skills necessary to explore business ideas and develop entrepreneurial mindsets. It aims to foster creativity, innovation, and problem-solving abilities while giving learners a real-world understanding of how businesses start, grow, and operate. The course encourages learners to build confidence and independence, preparing them to identify opportunities, understand risks, and develop strategies to launch and manage successful enterprises, whether as entrepreneurs themselves or within existing organizations. This approach helps nurture future business leaders who can adapt in dynamic economic environments. 

Course Summary

We study the Pearson specification.   

Topics:  

Unit 1 Enterprise & Entrepreneurs - in this unit, you will gain an overview of the importance of both enterprise and entrepreneurs to the local and national economy. You will explore their creativity and mindset as you look at real-life enterprise and entrepreneurs, and investigate the skills required to be successful. You will also look at the risks, opportunities and constraints faced by entrepreneurs in setting up their venture, assess the feasibility of a range of potential enterprise opportunities and then develop and present one idea for a local enterprise 

Unit 2 Developing a Marketing Campaign - Marketing is a dynamic field central to the success of any business. You will gain an understanding of how a marketing campaign is developed. You will explore different stages of the process that a business goes through when developing its campaign and develop your own campaign for a given product/service. You will examine the marketing aims and objectives for existing products/services and understand the importance of relevant, valid and appropriate research in relation to customers’ needs and wants. You will use given market research data and other information to make recommendations about the type of marketing campaign that a business should undertake. 

Unit 3 Personal and Business Finance  - This unit includes aspects of both personal and business finance. Personal finance involves the understanding of why money is important and how managing your money can help prevent future financial difficulties. It is vital you understand the financial decisions you will need to take throughout your life and how risk can affect you and your choices. This unit will also give you an insight into where you can get financial advice and support. The business finance aspects of the unit introduce you to accounting terminology, the purpose and importance of business accounts and the different sources of 

finance available to businesses. Planning tools, such as cash flow forecasts and break-even, will be prepared and analysed. Measuring the financial performance of a business will require you to prepare and analyse statements of comprehensive income and statements of financial position. 

Unit 7 Social Enterprise - In this unit, you will learn about social enterprise, an ethos that is growing around the globe and is gaining support from the public, private and voluntary sectors. The national body for social enterprise, Social Enterprise UK, has described Britain as being on the frontline of social enterprise activity compared with the rest of the world. Social enterprises compete in the marketplace and need to be well run to make money and achieve their social aims. They can vary from small community-owned village shops to large organisations delivering public services. You will explore what it is that makes them a success or a failure and will then engage in running a short social enterprise of your choice. 

Assessment

Unit 1 Enterprise & Entrepreneurs  – internally assessed assignments (Pass 9 points, Merit 15 points, Distinction 24 points) 

Unit 2 Developing a Marketing Campaign – external controlled assessment  (Pass 9 points, Merit 15 points, Distinction 24 points) 

Unit 3 Personal and Business Finance – external written exam (Pass 12 points, Merit 20 points, Distinction 32 points) 

Unit 7 Social Enterprise – internally assessed assignments (Pass 6 points, Merit 10 points, Distinction 16 points). 

Enrichment

• Overseas trips including New York  
• Wider reading and links to contemporary economics-related issues 

Careers

• When studied with other qualifications in the study programme, learners can progress into higher education on combined courses. Learners should always check the entry requirements for degree programmes with the specific higher education providers. Learners could also progress to Higher Apprenticeships in areas such as business administration, marketing, accounting, sales or enterprise. The qualification will also give learners the skills to enter the self-employed market. 

• BTEC Enterprise and Entrepreneurship also helps learners develop soft skills in the following three main categories: • cognitive and problem-solving skills: use critical thinking, approach non-routine problems applying expert and creative solutions, use systems and technology • interpersonal skills: communicating, working collaboratively, negotiating and influencing • intrapersonal skills: self-management, adaptability and resilience, self-monitoring and development, self-presentation. 

• BTEC Enterprise and Entrepreneurship also provides transferable knowledge and skills that prepare learners for progression to university. The transferable skills that universities value include: • the ability to learn independently • the ability to research actively and methodically • being able to give presentations and being active group members. Learners can also benefit from opportunities for deep learning where they are able to make connections among units and select areas of interest for detailed study. This course also provides a vocational context in which learners can develop the knowledge and skills required for particular degree courses, including: • reading technical texts • effective writing • analytical skills • self-management • creative development • preparation for assessment methods used in degrees.

 

 

Criminology (Applied Diploma)   

Exam Board: Eduqas 

Course Summary 

Criminology consists of four units, which together will give you a secure grounding in the criminal justice sector.  

 
The course covers the different types of crime, influences on perceptions of crime and why some crimes are unreported. Along with an understanding of why people commit crime, an understanding of the criminal justice system from the moment a crime has been identified to the verdict. Learners will develop the understanding and skills needed to examine information in order to review the justice of verdicts in criminal cases. 

 

Entry Requirements 

Vocational entry requirements and preferably a grade 5 in humanity subject.  

 

Course Assessments 

Unit 1 - Changing Awareness of Crime - Controlled assessment in December of Year 12  

Unit 2 - Criminological Theories - Exam to be sat in May of Year 12 

Unit 3 – From Crime Scene to Courtroom - Controlled assessment in December of Year 13 

Unit 4 – Crime & Punishment - Exam to be sat in May of Year 13 

 

Where might it lead? 

An understanding of criminology is relevant to many job roles within the criminal justice sector, social and probation work and sociology and psychology. The qualification allows learners to gain the required understanding and skills to be able to consider employment within some aspects of the criminal justice system, e.g., the National Probation Service, the Courts and Tribunals Service or the National Offender Management Service. 

 

Health & Social Care (BTEC) 

Exam Board: Pearson Edexcel 

Course Summary 

BTEC National Health & Social Care Extended Certificate consists of four units, which together will provide students with an understanding of what is required to work in a professional health and social care environment.  

Students will gain knowledge and understanding in the following topic areas: Human Lifespan Development; Working in Health and Social Care; Meeting Individual Care and Support Needs; Psychological disorders and their Care. Throughout the course they will develop their problem solving, communication, self-management, and collaborative working skills. 
 

Entry Requirements 

Vocational entry requirements and preferably a grade 5 (or vocational equivalent) in Health and Social Care.  

Course Assessments 

Year 12:  

One Written Exam: 1 hour 30 minutes externally assessed in January. 

One piece of coursework assessed in school. 

 

Year 13: 

One Written Exam: 1 hour 30 minutes externally assessed in January. 

One piece of coursework assessed in school. 

 

Where might it lead? 

Combined with other subjects it can lead to further study or employment in a wide variety of sectors including nursing, social work, primary education, occupational therapy and other rehabilitation and complimentary therapies, community development and working with people with specific needs. 

KS5 Social Science Curriculum Maps