Psychology
Intent
The A level psychology course at Tavistock College offers an engaging and effective introduction to Psychology. Students will learn the fundamentals of the subject and develop skills valued by Higher Education (HE) and employers, including critical analysis, independent thinking and research skills including the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. We provide engaging lessons that encourage students to be open minded to other points of view and to identify and challenge misconceptions and prejudice around mental health and other behaviours. We give students the opportunity to understand cross-cultural differences in behaviour and the dangers of judging other cultures by the norms and values of another. We are also keen to prepare students for their next steps in the world of work or in their apprenticeships and HE university courses by equipping them with relevant study skills and helping them to become independent and confident learners.
Further information
Key Stage 5: A Level
The Year 12 curriculum covers a wide range of topics to give learners a well-rounded flavour of Psychology, both in terms of older research as a background and newer up to date research. The scheme of learning broadly follows the order in which the content is set out in the specification, the only difference is that research methods, which is a paper 2 topic, is taught from the start of the course and continued all through Year 12 and Year 13. This is because the topic is heavily weighted in the final examinations and learners, therefore, are well practised and confident with this by the end of the course. The Year 12 syllabus covers topics from attachment, social psychology, cognitive psychology, clinical psychology and mental health, basic approaches to understanding human behaviour and biopsychology.
The Year 13 curriculum covers a smaller range of topics of our choice but they are studied in more depth. There is one compulsory element, issues and debates. Students will cover relationships, aggression and schizophrenia as well as continuing with research methods and design. The students are also able to bring their knowledge from Y12 to make synoptic links to the whole course.
Curriculum Plans
Psychology Y12 Curriculum Plan
Psychology Y13 Curriculum Plan
Curriculum time allocation
KS5 Psychology - 10 hours a fortnight (option)
SEND Learner Experience in Psychology
Planning
When planning lessons, we use all SEND information documents available; Individual Learning Plans, EHCP documents and reading age scores to ensure a sound knowledge of individuals' needs and that appropriate resources are used to support learning. The seating plan is carefully organised and a class plan is completed for every class.
Work scrutiny is used to prioritise students with SEND and assess how effectively progress is being made. If not, we make reasonable adjustments to their experience based on the information we hold and liaise with the SENDCo where appropriate.
When planning our schemes of work, we ensure that we create a curriculum in which there is a clear revisiting of topics, subjects or themes throughout the course. This ensures a deepening of skills and knowledge, with each successive encounter building on the previous one.
- Retrievals used to reinforce learning
- Clear learning journey with ‘know it, link it, say it’
- Explicit teaching of vocabulary
- Explicit modelling using guided practice
- Time for deliberate practice.
Before each lesson
SEND students are highlighted on both the class plans and seating plans. Class plans are annotated to ensure helpful strategies are used to help our learners. These are regularly updated.
Seating plans assist with the provision of intervention for SEND students.
Entry routine
Students are welcomed into the classroom, using thresholding, to ensure all students feel welcome and recognised. Routine and procedure is used to establish common expectations, e.g the retrieval task is always on the board or, where appropriate, printed out and on desks.
During teaching
The Tavistock College Charter is applied to ensure consistency of experience.
Resources are created to ensure all students can access the lesson.
'3,2,1, STAR behaviours’ and tracking are used to ensure all students understand and engage with the task.
Pre-warning students when we are about to cold-call for questions to reduce anxiety.
Circulating around the room during independent practice to help identify and engage with those in need of support.
Prioritising students with SEND for checking in and short marking.
Use of scaffolding to ensure all students can access the tasks.
After each lesson
We use the evidence seen in student books to inform our planning of the next lesson.
After each assessment
We use the evidence seen in student work to inform our planning of the next lesson. We have a reteach lesson where misconceptions and common errors are clarified and explained.
Data analysis includes a focus on SEND students.
Reading and literacy in Psychology
Subject contact
Sue Shepherd