Psychology is a subject that is designed to ensure that all GCSE and A -level students feel inspired to ask questions and search for scientific answers about the human brain and behaviour. Students are challenged to seek psychological knowledge remembering that every truth has four corners and their teachers give them only one corner, and it is for the students to find the other three. This design ensures understanding of psychological issues and debates worldwide, provides informed choices to students to encourage them to embrace and challenge the world we live in; developing forward thinking and resilient and curious individuals.

Intent

Psychology is everywhere in every aspect of life: at personal and professional level. Psychology answers the most important questions about human motivation and human behaviour. Mastering of psychological knowledge can unleash the human potential, creativity, solve the problems of mental health and prevent social injustice and wars. Through finding out about how and why human beings behave in the way they do, students can learn how to make this world a better place.

Psychology enables students to develop self -awareness and the awareness of others as well as wider metacognitive skills. Psychological knowledge of theories, studies and concepts builds the bridge between the intellect and emotional and spiritual intelligence. Psychological debates develop students’ understanding of the complex world and social issues around as well as their own choices, attitudes, and values. At Cox Green School, our intent, when teaching Psychology, is to stimulate the students’ curiosity to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding.

Implementation

Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision, which aims to enable all students, regardless of background, ability, additional needs, to flourish to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be.

We teach the National Curriculum, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year-by-year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all students. It is important that the students develop progressive skills of a psychologist throughout their time at Cox Green School and do not just learn a series of facts about the human mind and behaviour.

In Psychology, students at Cox Green School, conduct their own experiments, think critically, find evidence, weigh it up considering its scientific status and reach their own conclusion. To do this successfully, students need to be able to research, interpret evidence, including primary and secondary data, and have the necessary skills to argue for their point of view; skill that will help them in their adult life.

Impact

• Evaluating what knowledge and understanding students have gained against expectations

• A secure knowledge and understanding of human mind and behaviour in the areas such as psychological problems, memory, child’s cognitive and social development, criminology and many more.

• The ability to think critically about the causes of human behaviour and communicate confidently verbally and non-verbally in styles appropriate to a range of audiences.

• The ability to consistently support, evaluate and challenge their own and others’ views using detailed, appropriate and accurate psychological evidence derived from a range of primary and secondary data.

• The ability to think, reflect, debate, discuss and evaluate the how psychology has changed over time forming and refining questions and lines of enquiry.

• A passion for psychology and an enthusiastic engagement in learning, which develops their sense of curiosity about the causes and effects and complexity of the human motivation.

• A respect for psychological thinking using scientific evidence and the ability to make robust and critical use of it to support their explanations and judgements.

• A desire to embrace challenging activities, including opportunities to do ambitious experiments with full awareness of ethical guidelines published by British Psychological Society across a range of topics

• Outcomes in tests and classwork exercise books evidence a broad and balanced psychology curriculum and demonstrate the students’ acquisition of identified key knowledge.

• Students review the agreed successes at the end of every term and are actively encouraged to identify their own target areas, with support from their teachers.

• Students also record what they have learned comparative to their starting points at the end of every topic.

Criminology

Vision

The Criminology department is committed to ensuring all pupils make excellent progress in Criminology and develop a nuanced understanding of crime, its causes, and its impact. We do this by encouraging curiosity about the nature of crime through modules such as drug policy, criminological theories, and forensic investigation, giving the chance to expand students’ criminological imagination and set up future careers.

Intent

The Criminology curriculum at Cox Green School aims to ensure that all KS5 students gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of crime in the UK, including trends in policing, the nature of crime statistics and representation of crime in the media. Furthermore, the course aims to develop understanding of how and why people become criminals, the nature of forensic criminology and the structure and effectiveness of the UK justice system.

Students are encouraged to ask nuanced questions, think critically, and develop an evaluate mindset that can apply across different contexts. Students will develop an awareness of how agencies work practically in the real world, with the extensive use of case studies to embed understanding.

Implementation

Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision, which aims to enable all children, regardless of background, ability, additional needs, to flourish to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be.

We teach the WJEC Vocational Diploma which has two controlled assessment units and two exam units across two years. Skills and knowledge for each type of assessment are sequenced appropriately to maximise achievement for all students. It is vital that students can develop an understanding of the Criminal Justice System in the UK. Students will examine case studies to allow them to evaluate the effectiveness of agencies and techniques within criminal investigation, and how these have progressed across time. Case studies include Amanda Knox, Stephen Lawrence, Sally Clark, and Colin Stagg.

In Criminology, pupils at Cox Green School, will develop a wide understanding of the UK Justice System, how people become criminals, media representation of crime and the nature of forensic investigation. They will grow and refine evaluative and analytical skills that will enable them to move into a career in criminal justice should they wish. Students will develop a wider appreciation of Criminology in action through practical forensic lessons and visits to Crown Court.

Impact

By the time students finish their diploma, they should have developed:

• A secure understanding of the nature of crime, criminological theories, and the structure of the UK Justice System.

• The ability to think critically about different aspects of criminology and communicate confidently as an individual and as a team.

• The ability to consistently support, evaluate and debate a range of views.

• The ability to reflect on case studies and examine them for strengths and weaknesses of the agencies involved.

Outcomes in assessment and in-class work evidence a challenging and relevant curriculum, as well as demonstrating progress in lessons and the students’ acquisition of nuanced key knowledge. Students will reflect on their progress through one-to-one meetings and identify areas of strength, weakness and how to improve. This will be done collaboratively, allowing students to develop into independent leaners. Emphasis is placed on evaluative and analytical skills, allowing students to develop into effective Criminologists with an understanding of how to apply their knowledge in the real world.