Why study A-Level Psychology? (Year 11)

Post-16 choices shouldn't be made on syllabus details alone. This lesson plan will help you to show Year 11 students whether A-Level Psychology or another post-16 route fits them best, drawing on the jobs it leads to and the skills it builds.

This lesson is designed to be delivered in 30 minutes as a teacher-led classroom activity.

This activity supports the following frameworks:

  • Gatsby Benchmark 4

This activity is suitable for Year 11 and features careers linked to the following subjects:

  • Psychology

This is one of three lesson plans for teachers working with Year 11 students considering A-Level Psychology - most of whom won't have studied GCSE Psychology, since few schools offer it:

These lesson plans will help you show students how Psychology connects to their future careers.

We recommend using this lesson plan at the beginning of the spring term, as students approach their post-16 choices. It builds on the two earlier lesson plans and draws them together to help students make an informed decision.

A-Level Psychology is one post-16 route among several - this lesson plan helps students decide whether it's the right one for them, or whether Psychology fits their future better through another route such as a T-Level in Health or Education, an apprenticeship, or direct entry into care or service work.

Learning objectives

  • Students will understand what studying A-Level Psychology involves.
  • Students will recognise how Psychology fits different post-16 routes, not just A-Level.
  • Students will be able to say whether A-Level Psychology is right for them and why.

Before the lesson

  • You will need a computer connected to the internet and a classroom screen.
  • Open the What can you do with Psychology? page and have it ready on the screen.
  • Review the page in full so you know what's in each section.
  • Be ready to describe your school or college's A-Level Psychology syllabus, exam board, and assessment methods - and to confirm that A-Level Psychology doesn't require GCSE Psychology, since most students start it fresh.

During the lesson

1. Recap: jobs and skills (5 mins)

  • Ask students to recall what they discussed in the earlier Year 11 lessons:
    • What jobs use Psychology?
    • What skills does Psychology build?
  • Write their answers on the board as a quick recap.

2. Walking through the page (15 mins)

  • Bring up the What can you do with Psychology? page on the classroom screen.
  • Show students the table of contents so they see the shape of what's on the page.
  • Walk through the key sections together, unpacking why each one matters for their post-16 decisions:
    • Psychology at A-Level - What the course covers and how much writing, research methods, and statistics it involves.
    • Subjects that pair with Psychology - Which other A-Level choices work well alongside it, on both the science and humanities sides.
    • Where Psychology can take you next - How Psychology leads into further study and work, including the longer chartered-psychologist route.
  • Briefly outline your school or college's A-Level syllabus, exam board, and assessment methods.

3. Is A-Level Psychology right for you? (10 mins)

  • Ask students to think about whether A-Level Psychology fits their post-16 plan.
  • Prompt them with questions:
    • Are you curious about why people think, feel, and behave the way they do?
    • Do the skills Psychology builds matter for the career or route you're leaning towards?
    • Do the jobs Psychology leads to appeal to you? How are they reached?
    • Does A-Level Psychology pair well with your other post-16 choices?
    • Are you comfortable working with research methods, basic statistics, and essay writing in the same course?
    • Are you prepared to study difficult topics - mental illness, attachment, obedience - and think carefully about the ethics of the research?
    • Would a T-Level in Health or Education, an apprenticeship, or a different route work better for you?
  • Close by reminding students that becoming a chartered psychologist takes several years of study after A-Levels - but most jobs that use Psychology don't require chartership, and many are reached through routes other than university. Interest and effort are what lead to good results, and good results open doors.

After the lesson

  • Share the What can you do with Psychology? page with students and their parents/carers:
    • www.coffeewith.xyz/subjects/what-can-you-do-with-psychology
  • Encourage parents/carers to explore the page with their child and to discuss the contents.
  • Encourage parents/carers to also explore related videos and careers with their child.
  • Use the School Tools / Activities feature to record the lesson activity:
    • Activity name: Year 11 - Why study A-Level Psychology?
    • Activity type: Linking curriculum learning to careers