The Social Studies faculty is made up of a range of different departments that work together to deliver a well rounded and exciting curriculum to encourage individuals to have a developing understanding and awareness of themselves, their world and the people and society around them.
We deliver a broad curriculum at Ks3 which build both knowledge and skills to prepare our students to then pursue any of these subject areas at KS4.
Within the faculty we teaching history, geography, RE and PSHE to all students in Key Stage 3 and we offer courses history, geography, RE, psychology, sociology and health and social care at Key Stage 4, along with PSHE.
A brief overview of the topics covered by the faculty in Key Stage 3
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Geography |
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Year 7 |
Year 8 |
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Making connections The UK Settlement Rivers and flooding Amazing places |
Development Tectonics Weather and climate Glaciation |
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History |
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Year 7 |
Year 8 |
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Introduction to History Medieval Society Henry VIII The Reformation Elizabeth I The Stuarts |
The British Empire Slavery The Industrial Revolution Women’s Suffrage World War I The Holocaust |
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RE |
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Year 7 |
Year 8 |
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How can I make sense of religion? The rise of Christianity Islam Buddhism Religion and Art |
What is morality? Crime and Punishment Medical ethics Relationships and families Suffering |
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GCSE Geography |
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AQA GCSE Geography This exciting course is based on a balanced framework of physical and human geography. It allows students to investigate the link between the two themes, and approach and examine the battles between the man-made and natural worlds. |
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Course structure |
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Paper 1: Living with the physical environment What is assessed - The challenge of natural hazards - Earthquakes - The living world – Hot deserts and Tropical rainforests. - Physical landscapes in the UK - Rivers & Coasts How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes • 35% of GCSE |
Paper 2: Challenges in the human environment What's assessed -Urban issues and challenges – Rio de Janeiro & Bristol -The changing economic world – UK and Brazil -The challenge of resource management – Global food supply. How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes • 35% of GCSE |
Paper 3: Geographical applications What's assessed Issue evaluation – This is where we study pre-release resources booklet 12 weeks before Paper 3 exam. The topic for this changes each year. Fieldwork – Students need to undertake two geographical enquiries (physical & human) Geographical skills Students are required to develop and demonstrate a range of geographical skills. How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes • 30% of GCSE |
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History |
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Edexcel GCSE History (9-1) This course will extend students’ knowledge of history by studying new areas of content and by revisiting and deepening their knowledge of content studied previously, thereby providing a coherent and diverse experience of history. The course supports progression to A Level. |
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Course structure |
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Thematic study and historic environment - Medicine in Britain, c1250–present and The British sector of the Western Front, 1914–18: injuries, treatment and the trenches. (Paper codes: 1HI0/11)
How it's assessed? Written paper, Edexcel set and marked |
British Depth Study - Early Elizabethan England, 1558–88. (Option code: B4)
How it's assessed? Written paper, Edexcel set and marked |
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Period Study - Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91. (Option code: P4)
How it's assessed Written paper, Edexcel set and marked |
Modern Depth Study - Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39. (Paper codes: 1HI0/31)
How it's assessed Written paper, Edexcel set and marked |
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GCSE Psychology |
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Edexcel GCSE Psychology In addition to helping students acquire subject knowledge, the Edexcel specification provides a sound understanding of methods and approaches in psychology at an introductory level. It also illustrates these methods and approaches through various topic areas representing the core areas of social, cognitive, developmental, biological and individual differences. The course develops investigation and report writing skills, along with analytical and critical thinking skills. |
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Course structure |
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Paper 1 What is assessed
Topic 5: Social influence – How do others affect you? How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes • 55% of GCSE |
Paper 2 What's assessed
Topic 11: Research methods – How do you carry out psychological research? How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour 20 minutes • 45% of GCSE |
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GCSE Sociology |
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AQA GCSE Sociology In addition to helping students acquire subject knowledge, the AQA GCSE sociology specification helps students to gain knowledge and understanding of key social structures, processes and issues through the study of families, education, crime and deviance and social stratification. The course supports students in developing transferable skills including how to investigate facts and make deductions, develop opinions and new ideas on social issues and analyse and better understand the social world |
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Course structure |
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Paper 1 What is assessed
How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes • 50% of GCSE |
Paper 2 What's assessed
How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes • 50% of GCSE |
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GCSE Religious Studies |
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AQA GCSE Religious Studies Spec A Religious Education is a stimulating GCSE course that provides a great opportunity for students to reflect and explore current issues and to develop social, cultural, political and historical awareness. While studying this course pupils will undertake two components; the study of Religion: where students will study the key beliefs, teachings and practices in two religions: Christianity and Islam and Thematic Studies: which will enable students to utilise their knowledge of the religions studied and to discuss and reflect on religious responses to various philosophical and ethical issues. |
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Course structure |
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Paper 1: The study of religions What is assessed Christianity - Beliefs and Practices Islam - Beliefs and practices How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes • 50% of GCSE |
Paper 2: Thematic studies – non textual What's assessed Theme A – Relationships and families Theme B – Religion and Life Theme E – Religion Crime and Punishment Theme F – Human Rights How it's assessed • Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes • 50% of GCSE |
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Cambridge National in Health and Social Care |
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OCR Cambridge Nationals in Health and Social Care Certificate Health and Social Care is a valuable and useful qualification that introduces students to specialist knowledge and skills needed to work in various care settings including; midwifery, physiotherapy, nursing, social care, prison and social work, child care and teaching. Underpinning the qualification is a focus on core values and communicating with individuals so as to maintain their dignity and sense of being valued and thus, through the various units studied allows students to learn about real life work and jobs and to gain valuable experience in this area of study. |
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Course structure |
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Unit 1: R021 - Essential Values of Care for use with individuals in care settings What is assessed LO1 – Understand how to support individuals to maintain their rights L02 - Understand the importance of the values of care and how they are applied LO3 – Understand how legislation impacts on care settings LO4 – Understand how personal hygiene, safety and security measures protect individuals. How it's assessed • Compulsory Written exam: 1 hour • 25% of GCSE |
Unit 2: R022 – Communicating and working with individuals in health, social care and early years settings What is assessed LO1 – Understand how to support individuals to maintain their rights L02 - Understand the importance of the values of care and how they are applied LO3 – Understand how legislation impacts on care settings How it's assessed • Compulsory Assessment: coursework • 25% of GCSE |
Unit 3: R025 – Understanding Life Stages What is assessed LO1 – Understand the stages of development from young people to adulthood L02 - Understand the aging process in older adulthood LO3 – Know which medical conditions may affect progress through the life stages LO4 – Be able to create support plan. How it's assessed • Assessment: coursework • 25% of GCSE |
Unit 4: R031 – Using basic first aid procedures What is assessed LO1 – Be able to assess scenes of accidents to identify risks and continuing dangers L02 - Understand the first aid procedures for a range of injuries LO3 – Be able to apply basic first aid procedures How it's assessed • Assessment: coursework • 25% of GCSE |