OCR Sociology A Level Refresh - FAQs

We answer some of the most frequently asked questions about our plans to redevelop our Sociology A Level.

Why are you refreshing your specification?

We have conducted a review of our existing specification, consulting with teachers and other stakeholders, including the British Sociological Association. 

Our findings showed, while our existing specification is well regarded, we need to remain responsive to changes within the dynamic, ever-changing field of Sociology. We’re updating our qualification to ensure it remains relevant to today and continues to meet the evolving requirements of students and teachers. 

When can I start teaching the new specification?

We are currently working to update our specification and will share this with Ofqual, the regulator, for their review and potential accreditation for teaching in late spring 2024. 

It is our aim to have the qualification accredited and ready for first teach in September 2025 (subject to Ofqual approval). We will keep you informed throughout the process – sign up for our email updates to stay in the loop.  

What are the planned changes?

We plan to keep our most popular topics, while adding unique new content such as: 

  • aspects of identity linking to fluidity, such as non-binary and trans identities.  
  • urban music subcultures and female subcultures.  
  • how sexuality and new gender identities are represented in the media.  
  • how countries in the global south may be used by transnational criminal groups and companies.  
  • new methods of crime prevention. 

 We're also revising our assessment structure to ensure it's more accessible. This includes simplifying question types, being consistent in our wording of questions, and reducing the length of source materials. 

Read more about our plans in our blog by Subject Advisor Tom Genillard. 

You can download a draft mapping guide on our webpage to see how our draft specification compares with our existing one.

Will there be a textbook?

We plan to have new textbooks available ahead of the first teach in September 2025 (subject to accreditation). 

What other support can I expect?

Whether you're new to OCR or have been teaching with us for a while, we will offer a range of free support and resources to help you deliver our A Level Sociology with confidence: 

  • expert subject advisors to advise you, share updates and resources  
  • sample assessment materials and guides to help you navigate our exams 
  • curriculum planners and schemes of work, supporting planning and delivery 
  • a range of professional development courses 
  • a wide range of freely available planning, teaching and learning resources from OCR, accessed via Teach Cambridge*
  • endorsed textbooks, and new teaching and learning resources from third parties 
  • access to Active Results: our free results analysis service  
  • candidate exemplars, practice papers and access to ExamBuilder: our free question-building platform that helps you to build your own tests as our bank of past live-series questions grows. 

*You will be able to access these free OCR resources on our secure platform, Teach Cambridge.  

If you already have a Teach Cambridge account, you will be able to log straight in. If you do not currently have access to the platform, please visit our website for guidance on how to gain it. 

I don’t teach OCR Sociology now, but I am interested in moving to the new specification. How do I switch?

If your school or college is an approved OCR centre, teaching other qualifications with us, you can simply download our specification once it is accredited and start teaching from September 2025*.  

Let us know if you're planning to teach the qualification by filling in this form. 

Please feel free to contact us on 01223 553998 or at sociology@ocr.org.uk if you have any questions. 

If your school or college doesn’t offer any OCR qualifications currently, you may need to register with us. Please get in touch with our Customer Development Team, who can guide you through the process: customerdevelopment@ocr.org.uk. 

 

*subject to accreditation

I’m teaching OCR’s existing Sociology A Level. What do I need to do?

For now, all you need to do is explore our draft resources and make sure you are signed up for our email updates to receive the latest news about our Sociology A Level. 

Once we are accredited, we will let you know by email. You can then download and start teaching our new specification from September 2025*.  

Let us know if you're planning to teach with us by filling in this form. 

You can contact us on 01223 553998 or at sociology@ocr.org.uk if you have any questions. 

 

*subject to accreditation