A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY
At Key Stage 5, students studying AQA A Level Psychology embark on a challenging and rewarding exploration of human behaviour and mental processes. The course blends scientific rigour with real-world application, encouraging students to become critical thinkers who can apply psychological theory to contemporary issues.
Psychology at A Level develops students’ ability to analyse, evaluate, and interpret complex information through a variety of lenses—biological, cognitive, behavioural, and psychodynamic. It empowers learners with a deeper understanding of themselves and others, enhancing empathy and fostering transferable skills such as research design, data analysis, ethical reasoning, and evidence-based argumentation. Whether aspiring to careers in healthcare, education, law, or beyond, students gain a robust foundation that is both intellectually stimulating and practically applicable.
Our curriculum is carefully structured to deepen knowledge over time, revisiting core themes through increasingly complex contexts. Students will encounter cutting-edge studies, landmark psychological experiments, and the evolving ethical debates within the discipline. In both Year 12 and Year 13, students engage in regular independent study, practical research, and peer collaboration, alongside expert teacher input. We ensure that our students become confident in both academic writing and scientific investigation, preparing them thoroughly for examinations and future study.
Assessment and Progression
Students are assessed through three formal A Level exam papers at the end of Year 13, which include a combination of multiple-choice questions, short answers, and extended writing. Throughout the course, students complete mock assessments, independent projects, and practice questions to develop their examination skills and subject mastery.
This course supports progression to psychology-related university courses, as well as degrees in education, social sciences, health, law, and criminology. The transferable skills gained also benefit students pursuing apprenticeships and careers requiring communication, research, empathy, and analytical thinking.
KS5 topics by year
Year 12
Approaches in Psychology (Teacher 1)
- This term, students will explore major psychological perspectives, including Learning, Cognitive, Biological, Psychodynamic, and Humanistic approaches.
- They’ll begin comparing how each one explains human behaviour, developing a broader understanding of psychology’s different viewpoints.
Issues and Debates (Teacher 2)
- This term, students will explore key debates in psychology, including Gender and Culture, Free Will vs Determinism, and Nature vs Nurture. These topics encourage students to consider the ethical, philosophical, and cultural influences that shape psychological research and understanding.
Biopsychology (Teacher 1)
- This term, students will study key biological processes in psychology.
- They’ll learn about the nervous system, how neurons function, the role of hormones in the endocrine system, and how the body responds to stress through the fight-or-flight response.
Clinical Psychology and Mental Health (Teacher 2)
- This term, students will explore definitions and diagnostic criteria for phobias, depression, and OCD.
- They’ll examine behavioural and cognitive explanations for these disorders, as well as the treatments used to manage them.
Attachment (Teacher 1)
- This term, students will study psychological research on attachment.
- Topics include animal studies, key explanations of attachment, and Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’ used to assess attachment types in infants.
Clinical Psychology and Mental Health (Teacher 2)
- This term, students will explore the biological explanation of OCD.
- They’ll examine how brain structure, genetics, and neurochemistry contribute to the disorder, along with biological treatments such as medication.
Social Influence (Teacher 2)
- This term, students will examine concepts of conformity and obedience.
- They’ll explore why people follow group norms or authority figures, supported by insights from classic psychological studies.
Attachment (Teacher 1)
- This term, students will explore Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation and how early attachments can influence later relationships.
- The focus is on understanding the long-term impact of early emotional bonds.
Social Influence (Teacher 2)
- This term, students will study how people resist social pressure and how minority groups can lead to social change.
- Key concepts include independence, defiance, and the impact of minority influence on attitudes and behaviour.
Memory (Teacher 2)
- This term, students will be introduced to two key models of memory: the Multi-Store Model and the Working Memory Model.
- They’ll explore how information is processed, stored, and retrieved in the brain.
Research Methods (Teacher 1)
- This term, students will develop both practical and theoretical understanding of key research methods.
- These include experiments, observations, self-report techniques, and correlations, focusing on how psychological data is collected and interpreted.
Memory (Teacher 2)
- This term, students will explore why we forget and what affects the accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony (EWT).
- Topics include theories of forgetting and factors such as misleading information and anxiety.
Research Methods (Teacher 1)
- This term, students will learn about the scientific process in psychology and how to handle data.
- This includes planning investigations, analysing results, and drawing valid conclusions using appropriate methods.
Forensic Psychology (Teacher 2)
- This term, students will be introduced to offender profiling and explanations for criminal behaviour.
- They’ll explore both biological and psychological theories to understand why individuals commit crimes.
Year 13
Issues and Debates (Teacher 1)
- This term, students will revisit key debates in psychology, building on their prior knowledge.
- New topics include Holism vs Reductionism, Idiographic vs Nomothetic approaches, and the importance of social sensitivity in psychological research.
Forensics (Teacher 2)
- This term, students will focus on psychological strategies for dealing with offending behaviour.
- This includes exploring rehabilitation techniques, behavioural interventions, and the effectiveness of different approaches to reducing reoffending.
Relationships (Teacher 2)
- This term, students will investigate what influences attraction and explore psychological theories of romantic relationships.
- They’ll examine how factors like similarity, self-disclosure, and physical attraction contribute to relationship formation and maintenance.
Research Methods (Teacher 1)
- This term, students will focus on data analysis, statistical testing, and research design.
- They’ll learn how to choose appropriate methods, interpret results, and apply statistical techniques to psychological research.
Relationships (Teacher 2)
- This term, students will explore the breakdown of romantic relationships through Duck’s model.
- They’ll also examine the impact of online relationships and the psychological reasons behind parasocial attachments to celebrities and media figures.
Schizophrenia
- This term, students will focus on the symptoms, diagnosis, and biological explanations of psychological disorders.
- They’ll explore how conditions are identified and understood through brain function, genetics, and neurochemistry.
Schizophrenia (Teacher 1)
- This term, students will explore psychological explanations and treatments for mental illness.
- They’ll study therapies such as drug treatments, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), family therapy, and the interactionist approach combining biological and psychological factors.
Key Contact
If you would like any more information about this subject, please contact Kelly McKaig – Kelly.mckaig@thebicesterschool.org.uk