Sociology

‘Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both.’ C. Wright Mills

Sociology at Stoke Park School aims to encourage students to reflect upon the world we live in, fostering an understanding of the relationship between individuals, groups, institutions, and societies. We aim to address the most challenging issues of our time, providing students with the opportunity to make sense of the world around them and to reflect on the contemporary social issues that are often most relevant to themselves. Sociology at Stoke Park encourages tolerance through learning about choice and the fluid nature of changes within society. 

The curriculum encourages students to be open minded by making them question the fabric of their own understanding. They will view society from many different perspectives and see how different people look at the same concept in different ways, enabling students to develop critical thinking and appreciate alternative sociological theories and conceptual issues. Students will take part in topical issues, such as ‘Nature Versus Nurture?’, how do Sociologists investigate inequality in society? Are women less privileged in society than men? What is the purpose of education? It raises awareness of how factors such as economic, status levels, class, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation,  affect our perception and potential life chances. Students will be exposed to the work of key Sociologists in the past and present and what they bring to the debates surrounding the key issues around Sociology.

To investigate the areas of study described above, students will explore the various research approaches and methods conducted by Sociologists to describe and make sense of the social world around us and the potential issues they may encounter. Research in Sociology is planned and conducted using well established procedures to ensure that knowledge is objective, where the information gathered reflects what is really ‘out there’ in the social world rather than ‘subjective’, where it only potentially only reflects the narrow opinions of the researchers.

We aim to develop communication skills by engaging in debates around the subject content through prior research and reading around the subject issues, so that students feel confident articulating themselves with supporting evidence in group and whole-class discussions. Students are encouraged to be inspired by following a broad, coherent, and relevant curriculum, whilst reflecting on their own experience of the world to enhance their ability to play informed roles within different social contexts.

For more information please contact Tegan Steane stafftst1@stokepark.coventry.sch.uk