Examination Board: Edexcel A-level 9PSO
Psychology is a fascinating area of study. Our department’s focus is to enable students to gain insights into why people behave differently, on their own to when in the company of others; why they forget and how we remember; why feelings impact upon behaviour. Students’ ideas and opinions are challenged; new theories and evidence-based argument taken on-board.
“People who have a sense of self-efficacy bounce back from failure; they approach things in terms of how to handle them rather than worrying about what can go wrong.” (Albert Bandura)
This demanding course fosters a range of transferrable skills: an ability to learn from mistakes; a questioning attitude and good reasoning skills; proficiency in research design, data collection and application of statistical testing. Scientific thinking, statistical analysis of data, the ability to construct well-argued essays and acquire knowledge from a range of theoretical viewpoints is embedded in the study.
Psychology is a two-year, knowledge-rich course with a focus on content in Year 12 and exam technique in Year 13. The 20% maths component, is taught through applied practicals.
The psychology course is sequenced: core skills revisited and reapplied to new scenarios. We go beyond the exam syllabus in using the most up-to-date, relevant research and current societal events to enhance understanding. There are extra-curricular opportunities including applied research through our close liaison with Royal Holloway University and a joint neuroscience workshop with a local school.
Psychology can be a controversial and sensitive topic to study – topics such as mental illness, gender and attachment may affect you or members of your family so you will need to approach the study of the subject in an objective and mature way.
A-level Psychology has a healthy uptake in the Sixth Form. Studying Psychology A-level means students will be:
- able to give balanced and well-structured answers.
- exposed to an academically challenging, ambitious and stimulating curriculum
- encouraged to engage with wider reading.
- tolerance of others, open to new ideas, embrace cultural diversity
- challenged in ambition for life beyond A-levels through embedded career links in lessons.