Psychology

Course summary

INTENT: The intent of A- level Psychology is to provide young psychologists with a dynamic and challenging curriculum. The curriculum will ensure that pupils are equipped with skills and scientific knowledge required to enable them to have a greater understanding of human behaviour and the wider world. The psychology curriculum should spark curiosity amongst learners about the many factors that can influence behaviour, e.g. brain structure, attachment style and traumatic experiences. The curriculum should also provide students with the ability to understand that, behind all knowledge is research, and to value the importance of psychological research and enquiry to understand behaviour. The Psychology curriculum aims to enable students to evaluate a range of explanations for human behaviour, but also draw conclusions on research using their analysis of the explanations. Ultimately, the curriculum intent is to encourage students to become independent learners and apply their knowledge of Psychology to understand themselves and other individuals around them. IMPACT: Through studying A- level Psychology, students will become critical thinkers and will demonstrate that they can plan, conduct, and critically evaluate research. Students will also be able to apply their psychological knowledge to exam questions which will be demonstrated through majority achieving their target grades or higher on assessments throughout the course. Students will demonstrate competence in multiple mathematical and statistical skills necessary to analyse research. Students will also demonstrate skills not only in identifying areas of strength, but also at identifying how to improve on weaker areas in the subject. This ambitious skill will be demonstrated through improvement in assessment throughout the course. These skills developed throughout the curriculum will aid students in achieving their post- sixth form goals whether it be university, apprenticeship or full time employment.