Maximising Outcomes in AQA A-Level Sociology

ABOUT THIS COURSE

This course is designed for sociology teachers and leaders who are committed to pushing their students towards top grades. It is ideal for those looking to refine their teaching strategies, challenge high-achieving students, and embed effective exam-focused techniques into their practice. Attending this course will provide practical, high-impact strategies to help students master sociological knowledge, apply contemporary examples effectively, and develop sophisticated evaluation skills. With a strong emphasis on exam success, the course equips educators with the tools to maximise marks across all assessment objectives.

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BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Achieve Top Grades – Gain advanced strategies to maximise AO1, AO2, and AO3 marks across all exam papers.
• Master High-Level Evaluation – Develop sophisticated chains of reasoning and critical analysis to excel in 20- and 30-mark questions.
• Enhance Exam Technique – Learn examiner-approved approaches to avoid common pitfalls and craft top-band responses.
• Apply Contemporary Examples Effectively – Integrate sociological examples to strengthen application and analysis.
• Boost Independent Learning – Use metacognitive strategies to refine self-assessment, planning, and exam performance.

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PROGRAMME

10.00am-11.00am: Mastering Sociological Knowledge for Top Grades

• Advanced techniques to ensure precise recall and sophisticated application of sociological concepts, theories, key studies, and researcher names across all three exam papers.
• The role of high-level retrieval practice in securing full AO1 marks.
• Building a high-performance study toolkit to elevate knowledge retention and application.
• Developing academic fluency: guiding students to "think and write like sociologists" in extended responses.
• Strategies for securing all available marks on 4- and 6-mark questions, avoiding common pitfalls.

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11.00-11.20: Break

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11.20am-12.30pm: Applying Contemporary Examples with Precision

• Identifying key areas in the specification where contemporary examples can enhance top-band answers.
• Integrating contemporary examples seamlessly into responses to strengthen AO2 marks.
• Designing activities that push students to critically engage with sociological developments.
• Using exemplar top-band exam responses to model outstanding application.

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12.30pm-1.30pm: Lunch

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1.30pm-2.15pm: Elevating Evaluation for AO3 Excellence

• High-impact strategies to help students construct sophisticated, critical evaluations that maximise AO3 marks.
• Modelling and deconstructing high-level chains of reasoning for analytical depth.
• Techniques for securing top marks in 20- and 30-mark extended essays.

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2.15pm-2.30pm: Break

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2.30pm-3.30pm: Exam Mastery – Achieving Full Marks

• Advanced metacognitive strategies for self-regulation, helping students refine their planning, monitoring, and evaluation of exam performance.
• Tackling the most challenging theory and methods questions with precision.
• Addressing common high-level misconceptions to push answers into the top bands.
• Examiner insights on crafting responses that consistently meet the highest assessment criteria.
• High-level marking exercises to develop a critical understanding of examiners’ expectations and refine top-grade responses.

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3.30pm: Depart

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