Social studies: An introduction
Social studies is a brand new Made for Wales GCSE qualification. It will be available for teaching for the first time to learners in year 10 from September 2026. Previously, the most closely related subject was sociology, which has enjoyed a long history of success at Caerleon Comprehensive School. Social studies brings some exciting developments, including a renewed focus on those social issues that really matter in todays society and in Wales. Social studies will also prepare and enable learners to access our full range of social science courses at A Level, including psychology, sociology and criminology. We are pleased to have an extremely experienced team delivering this qualification. Mrs Johnson has been involved in the development of the course with Qualifications Wales and the WJEC since 2022 as a subject expert, and Mrs Stanford occupies a principal moderator role for the NEA component.
Course Structure
The social studies GCSE will consist of four units covering a full range of topics. These units will be assessed through a mix of written examinations and NEA, further details of which are included in the assessment section.
Unit 1 - Society and Social Issues
This unit covers the characteristics of society and a variety of social issues. You will become familiar with the diverse nature of society by studying the ideas of identity, rights, and how the various levels of governance in Wales, the UK, and the wider world, influence how societies function.
Unit 2 - Investigating Society and Social Issues
Within this unit you will explore ways of researching society and social issues based on a variety of evidence sources.
Unit 3 - Social Change in Contemporary Society
This unit explores social change by explaining events that lead to changes, the agents and processes that cause these changes and the consequences of social change. You will examine social movements that have used various methods to deal with significant social issues and their impact.
Unit 4 - Planning to effect Social Change
For this unit you will investigate a social issue of your choice and plan an effective, legal and non-violent social action.
Unit 1 - Society and Social Issues
- Learners will study how societies work, how people live together and why communities and cultures differ, developing a strong understanding of social behaviour, belonging, and equality in the modern world.
- Learners will explore how societies can create a fairer, greener and more sustainable future. They will study key global and Welsh initiatives that promote equality, well-being, and environmental protection, including the UN Sustainable development goals, the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan, and the Well-being of Future Generations Act.
- Learners will investigate how people develop values, behaviour and identity through important agencies such as family, school, friends and the media, focusing on how role models, rewards and consequences shape behaviour.
Unit 2 - Investigating Society and Social Issues
This unit is focused on introducing learners to concepts and techniques necessary to investigate society and social issues. It is extremely transferable to many career pathways.
- Learners will develop key skills in using and judging information about social issues. They will learn how to identify different types of sources, including facts, opinions, statistics and persuasive materials, and understand the difference between formal and informal information. Learners will develop their ability to judge how trustworthy information is, considering accuracy, bias, purpose, and who created it.
- Learners will develop practical research skills by investigating real social issues. They will learn how to plan and carry out research using methods such as questionnaires, interviews, and observations and understand the strengths and limitations of each approach.
- The course also emphasises ethical and safe research practices, teaching learners how to protect participants, gain consent, respect privacy and manage risks when carrying out investigations.
Unit 3 - Social Change in Contemporary Society
- Learners will explore how societies change over time by using real data and sources. They will learn how to interpret information, spot patterns and trends, and draw conclusions from both statistics and written evidence about social change.
- Learners will study important movements such as the anti-apartheid, environmental, feminist and LGBTQIA+ movements, and discover the impact they have had on society. This topic will help learners understand the power of collective action, equality and social justice in the modern world.
Unit 4 - Planning to Effect Social Change
- Learners will explore how individuals and groups can create positive change in their communities through social action. They will learn what social action is and how practical, not-for-profit actions can address real social issues.
- Students will investigate a social issue, research its impact, and explore legal and peaceful ways to take action, such as fundraising, volunteering, campaigning, social media activism, and peaceful protest.
- Learners will evaluate different methods of social action, choose the most effective approach, and create a realistic social action plan, considering resources, costs, and stakeholders. They will also learn how to gather feedback, analyse results, and judge how effective their planned action would be.
- This topic develops confidence, teamwork, problem-solving, and active citizenship skills, preparing learners to make a positive difference in society.
As well as knowledge, what else will I learn?
GCSE Social Studies will help to develop a wide range of skills for the future: • Literacy Skills – reading, writing, discussing, understanding, and engaging with various forms of text and information. • Numeracy Skills – understanding, interpreting, and working with relevant data linked to society. • Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving – ask meaningful questions; assess the credibility of information and viewpoints whilst resolving contradictory accounts; analyse and justify potential social actions. • Creativity and Innovation - thinking creatively whilst developing an effective social action plan. • Planning and Organising – organising and planning an effective social action, within set time constraints. • Personal Effectiveness – researching appropriate information; making effective judgements on a social issue; working effectively with others whilst planning a social action. • Enquiry skills – select, utilise, and apply techniques relevant to social studies.
Summary of assessment
Unit 1: Society and Social Issues
- Written examination: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- 30% of qualification
- 60 marks
- Questions requiring objective responses, short and extended answers, with some based around applied situations.
Unit 2: Investigating Society and Social Issues
- Non-examination assessment: 6 hours and 30 minutes
- 20% of the qualification
- 60 marks
- Set and marked by the WJEC. The assessment will feature data sources tasks based on a selected social issues which will be set by the WJEC each year.
Unit 3: Social Change in Contemporary Society
- Written examination: 1 hour 15 minutes
- 30% of qualification
- 60 marks
- Questions requiring objective responses, short and extended answers, with some based around applied situations.
Unit 4: Planning to Effect Social Change
- Non-examination assessment: 6 hours and 30 minutes
- 20% of qualification
- 60 marks
- Set by the WJEC, marked by the Centre and Moderated by WJEC. The brief and tasks will be static for the lifetime of the qualification.
Future Options
GCSE social studies will equip you with a range of skills that are not only valuable for studying this subject, but will also support you in a variety of other subjects, including sociology, psychology, government and politics, law and other humanities subjects at A Level. Social studies will prepare you for a wide range of careers as it provides you with essential knowledge and a valuable skill set that can make you attractive to employers. A selection of careers linked to social studies includes, social work; urban planning; psychologist; health care; journalism and broadcasting; police officer; probation officer; teaching; human resource manager; market research analyst; counselling; banking and finance; law; accountancy; politics; advertising and marketing.
Contacts
Mrs Johnson - JohnsonC81@newportschools.wales Mrs Stanford - StandfordR2@newportschools.wales
Useful Links
Credits:
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