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Y11 Sociology Mock Exam General Feedback 2015Paper 1: Studying Society

1. Most of you attained some marks for Q4 and showed some understanding that Psychology studies the mind and Sociology society, however, very few of you added a little more detail to get those 4 marks. You needed to appreciate that psychologists look at individuals or very small groups and try to find out the psychological reasoning behind an emotional response. Sociologists on the other hand understands that societal behavior is dependent on social relationships. For example, one’s social class, family type or gender might influence a child’s happiness. Also, always remember to refer back to the question – in this case, the question specifically asks about ‘childhood happiness’If you gained 3 marks, you needed to show a bit more awareness of the issues identified above and perhaps add another example.

2. For Q5, to gain 4 marks you needed to identify that sanctions can be both positive and negative. The better answers gave examples and also identified that sanctions try to enforce conformity to a society’s or groups norms and values.

3. Q6 was a weakness for lots of students. You didn’t need to identify a particular research method here (unlike Q9) you just needed to give a general overview of sociological research. For example, you might have identified that sociological research could help identify who is most likely to be the bully or the victim and why. This information could help design policies such as support groups, mentoring etc.

4. Q7: Some of you didn’t know the definition of official statistics: numerical data collected and published by governments. Lots of public bodies such as schools and the police create data which is then used by the Government. You then needed to identify how this data might be useful for your investigation into bullying in British schools. For example, a sociologist might look at students who are on free school meals to see if they are more or less likely to be victims. Or they might use data about SEN students to see if their experiences are different to non-SEN students.

5. Q8: Most understood what ethics refer to: guidelines for how sociologists conduct research to make sure that people’s rights are not harmed, and that the sociologist conducts the research responsibly, professionally and fairly.Then you needed to apply this to your research into bullying. Most you identified that the victim of bullying is in a vulnerable position

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and must be treated in a manner that keeps them safe. For example, another adult might be in the room during interviews or they might answer questions anonymously so that there is no chance of other students finding out.

6. Q9 often catches students out. However, it should be quite straightforward because you just need to choose a method and then present an argument why this is the best method for this specific research. In order to get 6 marks you needed to compare this to another research method and identify why it is superior. For example, you might argue that questionnaires are the best from of research for finding out about bullying because it could potentially be distributed quickly and easily to the whole school, if not a year group. So this means the sample size would be significant and very representative of all of the school. The questionnaire would be anonymous and therefore students would be free to answer it freely. All students would have the same questions and a limited set of responses so it means that the answers are quantifiable and therefore easy to place into graphs and tables (unlike qualitative research). This would give the Head teacher data to draw conclusions from and to spot patterns. For example, the data might indicate that certain Years suffer more bullying than others…YOU CANNOT BE TOO VAGUE HERE AND JUST WRITE THAT UNSTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS, FOR EXAMPLE, and ARE BETTER BECAUSE THEY ARE VALID. INSTEAD YOU NEED TO WRITE SOMETHING LIKE, unstructured interviews have the advantage of really getting into detailed analysis of bullying. Respondents are able to take the conversation where they want and really add their own insightful feelings and experiences. This is a very valid form of research because unlike questionnaires for example, the research is shaped by social actors involved` rather than the researcher.

Paper 1: Education 1. A lot of you were confused about Q12 because you did not know what a

free school is. A free school is a new type of school that is funded by the government (so is a state school) and is known as a free school not because it’s free but because it does not have to follow the nation curriculum. The school is also free to set up the times of the day and staff pay conditions. Like academies they are not run by the local council so they control over lots of things. They are all ability schools so are not like grammar schools.

2. Q13: Most of you knew that the ‘marketization of education’ is when schools are run like businesses. This policy was largely implemented as a result of the 1988 Education Act. If you did not receive 4/4 it was because you needed to show a little more understanding and/or add a bit more detail. For example, most of you identified that competition is an important part of this policy but only some of you identified that league tables are an important way for schools to compete and try and get better

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results. Very few of you understood that a big part of schools being run like businesses is for them to market themselves as products in order to attract customers (students). For example, glossy prospectuses are used as a recruitment tool.

3. Q14: Most of you knew that an independent school is a private school. Most also know that they receive no funding from the government and largely rely on charging student fees. Most independent schools do have some scholarship students who might have all or part of their fees covered by the school. A characteristic of an independent school is that they usually have smaller class sizes than state schools. Another characteristic is that they are predominantly attended by upper middle class students. Lastly, another characteristic is that many independent schools have entrance exams.Lots of sociologists, in particular Marxists are unhappy with independent schools because it is an example how the un level playing field of the British education system – those who attend independent schools are much more likely to attain high exam grades. *a public school is a type of independent school. It is not a state school (like in the USA).*

4. Q15 – most of you did OK on this question and identified one way that an SEN student might receive a different type of schooling, however, most of you only attained 3/5 because of a lack of detail and sociological awareness. For example, you might have identified that in lessons, SEN students often are helped by a teaching assistant. This is an example of inclusion because it is argued that it is best to try and keep SEN students in mainstream classes as much as possible because they will benefit from being with their peers and also to receive instruction from a specialist teacher. A TA in lessons provides the support they need whilst stopping them from feeling excluded...5. Q16: This should be a straight forward question but lots of you did not analyse the different types of schools and the way that each school might impact upon a child’s success. As part of the ‘filling the gaps’ worksheet, you will receive information about the different types of schools. Please revise this.Most of you did write about the advantages of attending independent schools – these are attended by 10% of British students and on average, the results from these schools are vastly superior to most state schools. This is because they are often selective and therefore only contain the most able students. Also, the class sizes tend to be smaller. Parents are often very interested in their child’s education – they are spending a lot of money on it! Therefore, they are more likely to provide support etc…something that lots of you missed was the cultural values of independent schools – students and teachers share pro-education values and have very high expectations. Most independent school students attain good grades and go to university, so there is a culture of success and hard work…Some state schools do have these values too. Remember, league tables make it very easy for parents to see what state schools are achieving the best results. This means that the schools that do achieve good results become in demand and it can be competitive to get in - which means the students who do get in often come from families that prize education and do as much as they can to help their

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child. The opposite effect takes place with schools at the bottom of the league table – lots of parents will refuse to send their child there and prefer to move houses! The postcode lottery is a term given to the luck involved in where you live. However, lots of middle class parents will move within the catchment area just to get their child into a favoured school.Don’t forget grammar schools still exist in some places such as Kent, so this means the 11+ selective exam still exists. Many grammar schools achieve better results than even independent schools – this shows the power of pro-educational values.Q17 Hardly anyone tackled this question on educational reforms/policies in the last 30 years – learn your policies! You could have mentioned: EMAs; the 1988 Education Reform Act (marketisation of education, the national curriculum, testing – GCSEs, SATs; Ofsted and vocationalism); inclusion policies; implementation of different schools – free schools and academies; PPI students; maintenance of independent schools; change from AS levels to a two year A level course. Results have increased – does this mean that the education is better?Is the comprehensive school system working? Are students from lower social classes any more likely to achieve good results than in before?Should there be a change in admissions policies in order to stop the middle class bias?

Family1. Q21 – most of you understood that a symmetrical family is a term used by

Young and Willmott to describe a family whereby the adult couple share conjugal roles. However, some of you only referred to chores but did not refer to decisions/power too. Make sure you give examples in order to get 4/4.

2. Q22: Most of you understood that the cereal packet family refers to the nuclear family. However, lots of you didn’t refer to it being the media representation of the ideal family, one that might appear on a cereal box! It appears that this is a reflection of the prevailing norm in society that having a heterosexual married couple is the best form of family.

3. Q23 most of you did not just focus on one example of how gender roles have changed – read the question carefully – it also asks for an explanation of why there has been a change. EG: Men are more likely to be the primary care give (the expressive role)…this is because there has been a significant change in norms and values perhaps influenced by feminism and the range of role models in the media such as David Beckham who are often photographed etc looking after their children.

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4. Q24 Most of you tackled this question and did OK. In order to get past 6/12, you need to do the following:- Refer to the many different types of families in the UK – same sex,

cohabiting, reconstituted etc.- What is the trend?- Explain why this is happening.- Explain why the nuclear family is still the goal for most British people

and why it might not always be the case.

For 7 + marks- The New Right accept that there is a plurality of family types and they

are very unhappy with this. They blame the laws of the 1960s in particular which made divorce and abortion easier for example. This is why they think the divorce rate has increased and why norms and values have shifted so much. They think that the institution of marriage has been undermined.

- Feminists point towards the inequality in the nuclear family and blame this for the high number of women asking for divorces. They think that women are more free and that’s why they are less willing to put up with empty shell marriages.

Q25 only a few of you tackled this question. Most of you understood that we are more child centred today because:

- Family sizes have become smaller – the average amount of children is just below 2

- Childhood has been extended – obligatory schooling was initially 11, then 14 in 1944, before rising to 16 and now it is 18. This shows that society is keen to keep people in education as long as possible before entering the ‘adult world’

- Laws have shifted to protect children more – there are stict rules about working for example

- More money is spent on children today

Crime and Deviance

1. Well done to those who listened (!) to explanations of anomie (Q4). For those who didn’t remember. It refer to a functionalist term which explains a breakdown in norms and values – a normlessness. A good example that Olivia used was the London Riots.

2. Q5 most of you identified a policy such as community wardens; softer community relations, so that people are more likely to report crime; CCTV cameras; zero tolerance.However, most of you didn’t develop your answer enough to explain why certain localities suffer more – you could have referred to: zones of

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transitions; higher population density; social exclusion – less opportunities…

3. Q6 – this was a weak answer for some of you but it should have been quite straightforward. Why are teenagers and 20 year olds more likely to commit crime?- Less bonds of attachment- Extended childhood – more freedom, less social control- Subcultural pressures- More likely to visible- More likely to be in places of opportunity

4. Q7 you needed to know what official statistics are of course. Then you analyse the strengths and weaknesses of these. You then could compare this approach to victimisation and self-report surveys. In this analysis you could include:- Feminists – chivalry thesis - Feminists – domestic violence – dark figure of crime- Ethnicity – statistics show that there are relatively more black British

and Pakistani British men in prison than white men. Does this mean they are more criminal or are there other reasons at work such as higher stop and search rates, labelling, institutional racism etc?

- Marxism – those who commit white collar crime are often unseen or punished less severely – working class crime is much more visible and more likely to be acted upon.

5. Q8 This was a popular question but lots of you did not get above 6 or 7 out of 12. You needed to first deal with the reasons why women might commit less crime then men (because statistics tell us they do):- Socialised to be passive- Less freedom as a child – socially controlled more than boys - Canalisation – taught to play with caring toys- Less likely to be in gangs- More likely to be victims of domestic abuse

BUT…- Chivalry thesis – are women being treated more leniently, so the

statistics are false?- Are things changing? Gender roles are shifting – evidence of girl gangs

increasing and prison rates are increasing- More likely to be the primary care giver (expressive role) and therefore

they have less means of opportunity, time and willingness to take a risk – this could be done to socialisation or biology etc...

GCSE SOCIOLOGY MOCK EXAM FEEDBACK SHEET

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From the general feedback sheet, choose at least 3 targets that apply to your answers and copy onto the table in note form. PAPER 1: Studying Society

PAPER 1: Education

PAPER 1: Family

PAPER 2: Crime and Deviance

Mr Davies Feedback:

OVERALL GRADE: TARGET GRADE: