psychology

You will study the key areas of psychology that define the discipline. These include Social Influence, exploring how groups and authority affect behaviour; Memory, which investigates how information is processed and recalled; Attachment, which examines how early relationships shape later development; and Psychopathology, which explores mental health conditions and approaches to treatment.

You will also study the Biopsychological and Cognitive approaches, research methods, and issues and debates that run through the subject — such as nature versus nurture, gender bias, and ethical responsibility in research.

In the second year, optional topics such as Gender, Aggression, or Eating Behaviour allow you to specialise according to your interests. By the end of the course, you will understand the scientific methods that underpin psychological research and how to apply them to real-world situations.

A Level Psychology is one of the most versatile subjects you can study. It opens doors to university degrees in Psychology, Neuroscience, Criminology, Sociology, and Education. Many students go on to careers in mental health services, clinical and occupational psychology, teaching, counselling, human resources, and research.

The ability to analyse data, design experiments, and understand people makes psychology graduates highly employable across public, private, and voluntary sectors.

Assessment follows the AQA A Level Psychology specification and consists of three written exams at the end of Year 13. Each paper is two hours long and worth one-third of the final grade.

Papers test your understanding of core psychological concepts, research methods, and issues and debates in psychology. There is no coursework component. You will be assessed through multiple-choice questions, short-answer responses, and extended essays that demonstrate evaluation and critical reasoning.