Welcome

I am a qualified teacher in post compulsory education, specialising in sociology and social science. I am also a qualified social worker, having practised within the children and families sector.  After eighteen years of successfully home educating our son - through nine GCSEs (all grades 8 & 9) and three A Levels (all grade A), which resulted in five Russell Group University offers - I am now offering social science tuition. I am also providing a marking service, proof reading and academic mentoring, as well as assistance with the UCAS process, to include guidance and feedback on personal statements (or forthcoming structured questions in 2024). In addition, I am offering a home education consultancy service and, where needed and appropriate, the necessary academic reference for university applications (including the new styled version which will be introduced in 2024). I have many years experience of navigating the exam and UCAS process. From professional experience, I know what Russell Group universities require from students and what they expect to see on UCAS applications. 

So, What Exactly Is Sociology?

Essentially, sociology is the systematic study of society. It was a term coined by the philosopher Auguste Comte in relation to the scientific (or positivist), examination of society. And good sociology is:

 "work that produces meaningful descriptions of organisations and events, valid explanations of how they come about and persist, and realistic proposals for their improvement or removal" 

(Howard S Becker)

Sociology analyses social behaviour, cultures, social institutions and the relationships which exists between different groups in society. It identifies social issues, providing conceptual tools to understand those issues, with the aim of creating a society which is better for all members.

 "You can never really understand an individual unless you 

also understand the society, historical time period 

in which they live, personal troubles, and social issues" 

(C. Wright Mills)

Why Study Sociology?

You might expect a sociologist to say this, but the answer is simple – because it is a subject that encompasses so many different fields of study and which helps us to understand and make sense of the world. There has never been a more important time in our history to examine human social relations and institutions. We live in an age of catastrophic change and problems – inequality; discrimination; climate change; war; the rise of authoritarian governments; a broken education system and an increasing appetite for violence.  A sociologists job is to scrutinise and examine the interconnectedness of individuals and the society in which they live and to address these concerns. They investigate the underlying issues which cause societal problems and ask critical questions, which enable inequalities and injustices to be addressed and, hopefully, resolved. This, with the aim of constructing a fairer, more inclusive and more egalitarian world. Sociology embraces politics, philosophy, economics, human geography and elements of psychology. It is a subject for ‘all seasons’. As Sam Richards says, “My students often ask me, ‘What is sociology?’ And I tell them, ‘It’s the study of the way in which human beings are shaped by things that they don’t see’. 

The study of sociology is always thought provoking. Students learn to look at society in new ways and to question existing assumptions and beliefs.

 "the difficulty, in sociology, is to manage to think in 

a completely astonished and disconcerted way 

about things you thought you had always understood" 

(Pierre Bourdieu)

 

Who Is Sociology For?

For anyone with an interest in understanding human action, social structures and the interpretation of culture and symbols. It enables students to understand themselves and society at a family, group, local, regional, national and global level.

You might be a student taking it as one of your GCSE or A Level exams or an adult, returning to learning. Perhaps you need evidence of recent study or require an additional qualification, or maybe you are following an Access to Higher Education course with a social science pathway. You might be considering a career change in which a qualification in sociology would be a useful addition - perhaps social work, counselling, psychology, law or within the criminal justice system. Many degree entry schemes now require evidence of an A Level standard qualification. Having worked as a lawyer, a social worker and a teacher, I am able to say that the discipline of sociology informed all of my work. You may, of course, simply want to study sociology out of interest and/or because you want to change the world - "Sociology was born of the modern ardour to improve society" - Albion Woodbury Small.

Sociology is a subject which can help provide a wide knowledge base (often incorporating other subject areas) and valuable skills, especially in terms of research, analysis and evaluation. It requires students to (1) understand and critique the research of others; (2) conduct their own research from a value free position and analyse findings objectively and (3) undertake research within an ethical framework.