A Level Sociology refresh - FAQs

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

Why are you refreshing your specification?

To ensure that our qualification continues to meet the needs of students and teachers, we recently conducted a review of our existing specification. This involved consulting with teachers as well as other stakeholders, including the British Sociological Association. 

Our findings showed that, while our existing specification is well regarded, we need to remain responsive to changes within the dynamic, ever-changing field of sociology. 

When can I start teaching the new specification?

We have shared our draft specification and sample assessment materials with Ofqual, the regulator, for their review and are working with them to get the qualification (and our AS qualification) accredited. 

It is our aim to have this 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?

Subject to Ofqual accreditation, 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. 

In addition, we want to give students more opportunities to showcase their research methods knowledge and understanding throughout our exams, in particularly questions where evaluation is needed. 

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

You can also visit our webpages and download our mapping guide, which outlines the how the new qualification is different to our existing one.

Will there be a textbook?

We are planning to update our existing Hodder textbook to reflect the changes we are making. 

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. 

These include a wide range of freely available planning, teaching and learning resources accessed via Teach Cambridge*. These include: 

  • sample assessment materials  
  • curriculum planners  
  • schemes of work 
  • assessment guides  
  • candidate exemplars  
  • practice papers  

 

You will also have access to: 

  • a textbook and new teaching and learning resources from third parties  
  • Access to Scripts – our free, on-demand service that allows you to download copies of students’ completed question papers 
  • ExamBuilder: our free question-building platform that helps you to build your own tests as our bank of past live-series questions grows.  

*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. You can also sign up for a free, two-week trial. 

Are you updating your AS qualification too?
Yes, we are updating our AS Level in Sociology, as well as our A Level. You can view a draft specification for this qualification on our webpage.
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 and teaching other qualifications with us, you can simply download our specification once it is accredited and start teaching from September 2025*.  

To help us support you, 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 by email 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.

 

*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 specifications and resources on our webpage. This includes a mapping guide to help illustrate the changes we are planning.

Also, make sure you are signed up for our email updates to receive the latest news about our A Level Sociology, including our accreditation.

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

To help us support you, let us know if you're planning to teach with us by filling in this form. 

You can contact us on 01223 553998 or by email if you have any questions.  

 

*subject to accreditation