GCSE Psychology at Home?

hi, I'm in year 10 (I live in NI so I think that's the English equivalent to year 9?) and I'd be really interested in taking GCSE psychology, but it would be self teaching seeing as my school don't offer it as a course. I was planning on buying the textbooks and teaching myself the syllabus, and then entering the exams privately, but I have no idea how to go about this and I'm confused as to how coursework and controlled assessments would work. could anyone who has studied or is studying GCSE psychology, either at school or home, possibly lay out to me what the course is like in terms of coursework and controlled assessments etc? Also, if any self taught GCSE candidates could maybe say what is required to be a private candidate? if you could recommend any additional revision/guidance booklets as well, that would be fantastic. thanks so much in advance :smile:

Reply 1

Jodi26

I've just done the GCSE psychology totally self taught. I took the exam today. All I did was buy the book depending on your exam centre. Mine was AQA, so I read that book back to front. At least 10 times and did the exam tips in the back. Got the book used off eBay £10. Exam was £60 to book independently. That was the tricky bit. Finding a school that would let me sit the exam. But eventually I found one. I literally just rang up all the schools within a 50 mile radius to me and asked if I could sit the GCSE as a private candidate. Go onto AQA website and look at all the GCSE psychology past papers, print them and practise. It's not that difficult if you're dedicated. A lot on body language, memory and stereotypes. That sort of thing. Some of it basic common sense. I'm 35 and an accounts assistant. If I can take my hand to this. You can. Good luck! X

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 2

Findlay6

19

Step 1 would be to choose your exam board as each one will offer different content and assessments.

The main 3 are:
AQA (http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/psychology/gcse/psychology-4180)
Edexcel (http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/psychology-2009.html)
OCR (http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-psychology-j611-from-2012/)

Check out the specification and assessments on those websites. They should recommend textbooks too.

this would be handy too: http://iteachpsych.tumblr.com/

Reply 3

ElisifTheFair

OP

Original post by Jodi26

I've just done the GCSE psychology totally self taught. I took the exam today. All I did was buy the book depending on your exam centre. Mine was AQA, so I read that book back to front. At least 10 times and did the exam tips in the back. Got the book used off eBay £10. Exam was £60 to book independently. That was the tricky bit. Finding a school that would let me sit the exam. But eventually I found one. I literally just rang up all the schools within a 50 mile radius to me and asked if I could sit the GCSE as a private candidate. Go onto AQA website and look at all the GCSE psychology past papers, print them and practise. It's not that difficult if you're dedicated. A lot on body language, memory and stereotypes. That sort of thing. Some of it basic common sense. I'm 35 and an accounts assistant. If I can take my hand to this. You can. Good luck! X

thank you, this is really helpful! how did you find you exam? I hope it went well. what was the coursework like, if there was any? that's what I'm a bit concerned about, because I don't know how I would go about getting it marked etc.

Reply 4

Nadine_08

13

Original post by ElisifTheFair

hi, I'm in year 10 (I live in NI so I think that's the English equivalent to year 9?) and I'd be really interested in taking GCSE psychology, but it would be self teaching seeing as my school don't offer it as a course. I was planning on buying the textbooks and teaching myself the syllabus, and then entering the exams privately, but I have no idea how to go about this and I'm confused as to how coursework and controlled assessments would work. could anyone who has studied or is studying GCSE psychology, either at school or home, possibly lay out to me what the course is like in terms of coursework and controlled assessments etc? Also, if any self taught GCSE candidates could maybe say what is required to be a private candidate? if you could recommend any additional revision/guidance booklets as well, that would be fantastic. thanks so much in advance :smile:

There is no coursework/controlled assessments for psychology.

First of all I would recommend the AQA course. Second all you need to do is buy the textbook for the course and everything you need to know is in there, including exam tips, etc. You should print out and do all the past papers and familiarize yourself with the structure of questions, etc.

If you're interested in it, you can definitely do well.

Hope this helped :smile:

Reply 5

RandomStudent66

5

If it is edexcel, it is incredibly easy. All you need to do is memorize what is in the textbook. They barely ask you to even apply anything.

Its great :tongue:

Reply 6

Jodi26

I did AQA and no course work or controlled assessments. Literally just read the book over and over! By Nelson Thornes, ISBN 978-1-4085-0395-9. There are two units to learn and two exams unit 1 is making sense of other people, which is basically, memory, communication and personality, unit 2 is understanding other people. Which is learning social influence and gender. It's not hard. The exam questions are typically as follows... Describe and evaluate a study of obedience, which would basically be Milgrims 1963 study. Every study for everything is in the text book. If you've got a good memory, you'll pass easily. Btw, you said you're from NI? There is an exam centre Conway Adult Education Centre. Belfast 028 9024 8543

Reply 7

bitzy007

1

Hi interested in phycology GCSE for my daughter. How much do the boards differ?Is one board simpler than the other? or doesn't it make a difference? Thanks

GCSE Psychology at Home?

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