Social Subjects Reports

Term 1 Tracking Reports for S2 and S3

S1 Social Subjects aims to spark curiosity about the world, develop informed and responsible young people, and build strong foundations for future learning in Social Subjects.  Our curriculum focuses on learning at Level 3 although we do begin with some Level 2 outcomes in our Introductory Unit.  As the year progresses, we will report on their progress as they begin to work towards Level 3 although some may still be consolidating Level 2 outcomes as they develop their skills and knowledge at an appropriate pace.

In S1 young people are introduced to the wide range of subjects and begin to develop the skills and knowledge that will support their learning throughout the Broad General Education and beyond. Lessons are taught by one or two Social Subjects teachers and draw on Geography, History, Modern Studies and RMPS.

Throughout the year, pupils will study a variety of engaging topics. They begin with an Introductory Unit, which focuses on developing key skills such as understanding chronology, using maps, and building confidence in discussion and debating. Pupils then explore Democracy, learning about democratic systems, dictatorship, and the key differences between them. In our Scotland unit, young people develop an understanding of Scotland’s past and its impact on society today. Climate and Ecosystems introduces important geographical concepts and global environmental issues, while Ancient and Modern Beliefs encourages pupils to explore religious and non-religious beliefs and consider big questions about life, morality and meaning.

In S2 Social Subjects, young people continue to build both their knowledge of the world around them and the key skills that will support their learning across the curriculum and beyond school. At this time of the year, young people will be studying four major topics: 

• Slavery

• A Divided World

• Earth Forces

• Big Questions

The first three topics allow young people to explore History, Geography and Modern Studies in meaningful ways, developing an understanding of human rights, global conflict and cooperation, and the impact of natural processes on people and places. RMPS is delivered through our Big Questions unit where students consider the existence of God, life after death, and other ethical dilemmas. This enables them to reflect on a range of beliefs and values, think critically about ultimate questions, and develop respect for different perspectives. These are further embedded through a short unit on winter festivals and a focus in term 3 on animal rights.

Alongside this knowledge, young people will focus on developing the skills that are central to success in Social Subjects: leadership, problem solving, teamwork and communication. They will be encouraged to take on different roles within groups, contribute ideas clearly, listen to the views of others, and apply their knowledge to tackle challenging questions.

Young people in S2 are working towards achieving Curriculum for Excellence Level 3 in Social Subjects. Reports will show their progress in relation to the national expectation that most young people will achieve Level 3 by the end of S3. While the majority of young people in S2 will be working towards Level 3, some may still be consolidating Level 2 outcomes as they develop their skills and knowledge at an appropriate pace.

In December, young people will take part in a project-based learning task, where they will bring together the understanding and skills gained from these units. This will give them the opportunity to show creativity, work collaboratively, and take increasing responsibility for their own learning while presenting their findings in a way that demonstrates confidence and critical thinking.  Students will complete an investigation focusing on an African country of their choice. This investigation is designed to consolidate learning from previous topics studied this academic year and develop skills in analysis, evaluation, and self-directed learning.  They will research the country’s history, including links to topics such as slavery, its physical geography with a focus on how the landscape affects development, for example the cost of building on steep slopes and issues such as drought, and its modern situation, examining issues like corruption, aid, and development indicators.  Students will then analyse how these historical, geographical, and modern factors have influenced the country’s development. Finally, they will evaluate which factor has had the greatest impact on why the chosen country is less developed than Scotland, providing clear justification.  This task emphasises independent research and critical thinking, bringing together knowledge from History, Geography, and Modern Studies. It encourages students to synthesise information and form reasoned conclusions while taking ownership of their learning.

Through this approach, we aim to give young people not only a strong grounding in important Social Subjects content, but also the transferable skills they will use throughout their education and in later life.

In terms 3 and 4 students will move on to study The Holocaust, Conflict and Terrorism and Antarctica. These courses will further embed transferable skills as well as develop knowledge and understanding which will help pupils make an informed choice as they start to narrow their subjects in S3.

 
In S3 Social Subjects, young people are beginning to specialise in one or more of the subjects offered by the faculty. This marks the start of a shift from the broad, general Social Subjects course in S1 and S2, allowing young people to build on the knowledge and skills already developed and to lay the foundations for the more specialist learning they will undertake in S4 and beyond.

Across all areas, students continue to strengthen transferable skills of leadership, problem solving, teamwork and communication. These skills are developed through group work, independent research, analysis of evidence, and discussion of different perspectives – ensuring pupils are well-prepared not only for their chosen subjects but also for life and learning beyond the classroom.

Each subject area offers its own focus at this stage:

• Geography students are studying development in Africa, with a strong emphasis on interpreting geographical data and working collaboratively in groups.  Young people have also created and extracted data from population pyramids to analyse population structures and discuss the consequences of population change. Pupils have investigated transnational companies in China, considering their impacts on the country, and applied map skills to interpret population density and distribution across Asian countries. 

• History students are learning about the First World War and have developed research skills through the production of a detailed trenches investigation. They have been working on their problem solving through learning how to make use of a variety of sources of evidence to consider, for example, what life was like on the Home Front during the war.  They have also been developing their ability to work effectively as part of a group, for example when working together to consider big questions regarding what should happen to Germany at the end of the war.

• Modern Studies students are examining inequality in wealth and health, developing analytical skills such as drawing conclusions and choosing options from a wide range of sources. We then move on to our next unit where students investigate key issues in the United States. They begin by exploring migration, looking at push and pull factors, the lengths people go to enter illegally, and the idea of the American Dream. The unit then examines social inequality, focusing on wealth and race, before moving on to the political system, including major parties and US elections. Young people also study movements and ideologies such as Black Lives Matter, the Ku Klux Klan, and America First, followed by an in-depth look at gun culture and the impact of mass shootings. Throughout this unit, pupils will continue to develop important analytical skills such as drawing conclusions, evaluating evidence, and making informed decisions based on a wide range of sources. The unit concludes with students producing a detailed report that brings together their learning and analysis. Our third and final unit is where young people will assess the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and apply their knowledge from the previous topics to understand why political instability and poverty can lead to social disturbance, conflict and terrorism, and understand the knock-on effect this can have on other countries.  Students will also be developing analytical skills throughout the year such as drawing conclusions and choosing options from a wide range of sources.

• Scottish Studies students are exploring Scotland’s landscapes and developing their ability to handle geographical sources. They have also been developing their History skills of chronology and interpreting sources by learning about the Scottish Witch Craze. 

• RMPS students are considering views on crime and punishment and are developing a prison for the 21st century. They have been studying moral issues around the death penalty and will move on to study the religion of Islam before finishing with a free choice of either inequality or sectarianism.

• All young people study core RMPS, where they are currently developing opinions on the moral issue of abortion as well as the power and impact of cults and new religious movements. They will study ethics in the media in Term 3.

• Travel and Tourism students are looking at worldwide tourism, learning to interpret trends and patterns through handling data. They will also look at travel and tourism closer to home in Scotland as well as the rest of the UK through case studies such as Blackpool.

Almost all young people in S3 will be working towards achieving Curriculum for Excellence Level 3 by the end of the year. Some young people may still be consolidating their learning at Level 2, while others will begin to encounter aspects of Level 4 as they progress.

Through this balanced combination of subject knowledge and transferable skills, our young people in S3 are gaining confidence, independence and the ability to apply their learning in thoughtful and practical ways.