WELCOME TO A LEVEL
PSYCHOLOGY AT HIGH
STORRS
Why study psychology?
For enjoyment - hopefully you will gain a great
deal from the course
To understand yourself more, what you are and
why you have become what you are
To understand others more, the way they think
feel and behave and how they experience the world
they live in
“Interesting and can apply the things learnt to new
situations.”
“Useful for essay writing and practice, interesting,
enjoyable, good teachers.”
“If you want to know why people act certain ways it
provides answers. It also covers a variety of
interesting topics, like schizophrenia.”
“Because it has helped me understand behaviour in
others.”
“The trip to London was fun and useful.”
“It’s interesting, but it is demanding.”
“Have loved Mrs Pike and Mrs Dewis. You are
wonderful teachers and will be greatly missed.”
“Quite interesting compared to other A-Level subjects.”
Specialist areas of psychology are:
Clinical psychology
Educational psychology
Occupational psychology
Health psychology
Forensic psychology
Counselling psychology
Research psychology
Sports psychology
Consumer psychology
Psychology regards itself as a science.
All of these areas of psychology could not
function without evidence.
All sciences have to produce evidence to
support any theories they may have.
To obtain evidence, psychologists and students
of psychology can adopt research methods that
are experimental or non-experimental.
NEW AS AND A LEVEL FROM SEPTEMBER 2015
• Teaching the new AS and A Levels will start
September 2015
• First assessment for AS will be 2016
• First assessment for A-level will be 2017
• AS standard will remain the same
• A-level examined at the end of the 2 years of
study and is separate to the AS
• AS exams will not contribute to A-level
assessment
NEW AS AND A LEVEL
• Question papers will have a selection of
multiple choice, short answer questions
and essay style questions
• The AS course is co-teachable with the
A-level
• Students who sit the AS exam and then
choose to continue with the A-level
course will be required to sit the 3
papers at the end of the A-level –
Remember AS qualifications will not
count towards the A-level.
AS AND A-LEVEL EXAMINATION
• AS – 2 x 1hr 30 min written exams
• A2 Level – 3 x 2 hour written exams
• A selection of multiple choice, short
answer questions and essay style
questions.
• No coursework
TOPICS COVERED
AS/A2 – Social Influence; Memory;
Attachment; Psychopathology;
Approaches in Psychology; Research
Methods
A2 only – Biopsychology; Issues and
Debates; A choice of 3 of the following:
Relationships, Gender, Cognition and
Development, Schizophrenia, Eating
Behaviour, Stress, Aggression, Forensic
Psychology, Addiction
TRIPS AND VISITS
Galleries of Justice in Nottingham,
Science Museum, Freud Museum,
National Archives, Science and
Pseudoscience Conference, Forensic
Conference
TRIPS AND VISITS
Visited by:
• a District Judge
• a Neuroscientist (specialising in
Schizophrenia and Forensics)
• PHD students
ENTRY LEVEL
AQA Psychology – examining board
Entry requirements
- 5 G.C.S.E’s at A-C (including C in Maths and
Additional Science; B in English)
Read the specifications in full at:
www.Aqa.org.uk/psychology
Taught 5 hours per week
Loan of textbooks
FACTS AND FIGURES
• 4th most popular A Level in the country
over 100,000 AS
55,000 A2
• 3rd most common subject studied at Uni.
77,000 undergraduates
• QCA (Qualifications & Curriculum Authority) –
arguably as difficult as Biology A Level
Helps develop a broad-based set of skills
forensic thinking
methodology (experimentation)
evaluative skills for essay writing
moral dimension i.e. ethics
extensive reading covering current issues
i.e. crime, phobias, eating disorders, mental illness
Overlap with other subjects i.e. biology,
English, Sociology, Child Development, H & S C, I.T.,
History, Statistics
PREPARATION FOR A PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE
90% of students surveyed felt
better prepared for degree level
courses after they had done a
Psychology A Level!
EMPLOYABILITY
A Level Psychology is an important source
of employability
It gives you – personal insight
- scientific thinking
- critical skills
EXAM RESULTS AT HIGH STORRS
Pass rate 2011
Pass rate 2012
Pass rate 2013
Pass rate 2014
-
98% at A2
94% at A2
98% at A2
98% at A2
QUESTION TIME
Thank you for listening and visiting our
open evening
Any questions?
If you would like further information
regarding Psychology then please ring the
school – 0114 2670000 and ask for Mrs.
Pike