Curriculum Statement - Psychology

“The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination.” – Carl Rogers

Powerful Knowledge in Psychology

Psychology allows students to assess the foundation of human behavior. It encourages students to consider wider real life contextual issues while enabling them to explore causes for certain maladaptive behaviours as well as treatment. Students will acquire powerful knowledge that enables them to engage in significant and important topical discussions and debates. Psychological skills are transferable across subjects, the power in which students can use to apply their learning across disciplines.

Students will develop powerful knowledge –

  • The nature versus nurture debate, assess merits and drawbacks for both sides of the argument.
  • Critically assess and evaluate the validity of psychological research.
  • Allow students to explore new ideas and ways of thinking to highlight the ‘bigger picture’, wider socioeconomic and cultural factors.
  • Support and build on student confidence so that they feel encouraged to apply their learning to real life contexts.
  • Encourage students to think beyond their own environments and develop empathetic skills.
  • Increase tolerance, respect and understanding within students so that they can take these skills and make an impact within their communities.

 

Curriculum Features

Students will cover research methods first to equip them with the learning and knowledge they need in order to critically assess and evaluate psychological research. They will explore issues such as reliability and validity while considering the impact such methodological flaws may have on the overall credibility of the research. This will provide a firm foundation on which to cover the core topics in order.

  • Research methods
  • Memory
  • Developmental
  • Perception
  • Social influence
  • Brain and neuropsychology
  • Psychological problems
  • Language, thought and communication

Students will cover a wide range of topics that equip them to study psychology in KS5 and beyond, there is great variation in topics from psychological problems to memory each covering a distinct area of psychology. Students will develop transferable skills such as academic writing, presentation, critical thinking, analytical, communication, interpersonal skills and abstract reasoning.

 

Co Curriculum Enrichment

In addition to lessons, students have several opportunities to develop their psychological understanding outside the classroom. Students are encouraged to engage with the news and apply their learning to topical issues to assess possible reasons for certain behaviors. There will be opportunities to attend seminars when guest speakers are invited from industry. The department organise a trip to Manchester Magistrates Court and Manchester University. Students are given the opportunity to create a psychology newsletter by the students for the students.

KS4

Students study the AQA GCSE specification. This covers a wide range of topics to develop a broad subject base. Alongside this, student develop an understanding of how to assess research with objectivity.

Further detail is available on the exam board website below
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/psychology/gcse/psychology-8182