Hurtwood House School

At Hurtwood House, students of Sociology are taught to think and write like sociologists. This means learning the art of social investigation and how to interpret and present results from the information that is given. It is a subject that deals with real-life issues such as ‘Does the media form public opinion?’ or ‘Is it true to say that the roles of males and females are different from what they were forty years ago?’

Students are encouraged to study particular social theories and the writings of well-known sociologists, such as Marx, Weber and Durkheim. Sociology therefore can be seen as an investigation into social life and the specialist methods of study this entails.

Teaching a subject such as Sociology requires an approach that manages to avoid the pitfalls of woolly thinking and uninformed opinion. At Hurtwood House the methods used are highly effective, with students working to a structured weekly worksheet and combining this with an active-learning situation in the classroom. This is where the group gain their knowledge of a topic and research it in depth and then discuss it fully. The principles involved in this approach are those of knowledge, interpretation, application and evaluation.

Obviously, a good knowledge of current events is essential as much of the subject matter of the course involves current policy, whether in education, crime or family relationships. Students must read a daily newspaper and the ‘Sociology Review’, and in the classroom Video, and DVD programmes are used as teaching aids which can often give a depth and perspective that is not possible from a textbook. The department also has guest speakers such as news reporters from television and there are excursions which have included the ITN studios, New Scotland Yard and local radio stations. Students also have the opportunity to visit Sociology conferences where they can hear and then question the leading Sociologists of the day.

The Sociology department enjoys outstanding results with 96% of students obtaining A or B grades in the last five years and many students have gone on to study the discipline at Oxbridge and the LSE.

AS: In the first year of the course students follow a structured programme that includes topics such as The Family. This unit examines the relationship of the family to other parts of society and the changing patterns of marriage, divorce, separation and cohabitation. The changing nature of childhood is also explored, as is the controversial debate concerning gender roles within the family. Why is it that the majority of those doing the washing up still look remarkably like women?

The sociological methods of the sociologist are examined. Primary and secondary research methods are explored, such as official statistics, interviews, participant observation and questionnaires. The tools of the sociologist are examined in detail, as are the reasons for choosing both topic and method.

Education is looked at by evaluating theories of the role of the educational system and seeing whether or not there is a relationship, for example, between education, social class and social mobility. The school curriculum and the factors shaping it are examined, as is the significance of pupil/teacher relationships and pupil subcultures. Also covered is an evaluation of the different educational achievements of social class, gender and ethnic groups and, indeed, the very role and purpose of education is both questioned and debated.

Year Two:
In the second year, students study three major areas of society – media, crime and deviance, and theory and methods. This year involves a highly structured programme that includes topics on the media and communications which examines whether the media control and shape opinions in society. The different forms of mass media are explored, as is the issue of how television programme topics and content are chosen.

Deviance covers a range of topics principally related to crime, social order and social control and explanations of the social distribution of crime and deviance by age, class, ethnicity, gender and region. Law enforcement, the role of the police, courts and the penal system are also examined. Youth subculture is studied with reference to Mods, Rockers, Skinheads, Hippies and Punks, as is the sociological study of suicide.

Theory and Methods: In this area the relationship between sociological theory and method is examined, as are important issues such as whether or not Sociology is a science and the debates surrounding objectivity, value freedom and post-modernism.

Students who are thinking about taking Sociology as one of their A-level subjects need to be people who have the ability for independent thought and the capacity to balance opposing views and different outlooks. Essay skills are important, as well as a reasonable level of numeracy. Most of all, you must be interested in the issues that confront society today, be prepared to listen and learn as well as voice your opinion. You will learn to examine beliefs in a critical manner and take on traditional beliefs that are no longer valid. This is not a subject for the intellectually lazy, but it will prove to be rewarding and satisfying for those who enjoy its challenge.

Sociology combines well with virtually any subject and this can include Media Studies and Psychology. Theatre Studies students also find the study of society useful in helping them to appreciate the complexities of their texts. It is a fully recognised A-Level for university entrance, and it will provide a good base for all Arts courses and Arts degrees, especially those requiring a detailed knowledge of society or advanced analytical skills. It will give you a good grounding for a degree course in the Social Sciences, although it is not necessary to have studied it if you are thinking of taking Sociology or Social Studies at university.
 

‘Sociology in Focus’ – Paul Taylor
‘Sociology for Beginners’ – Richard Osborne and Borin van Loon
‘Sociology Review’