A-Level guide · checked October 2026
A-Level Sociology, explained simply
How society works: families, education, crime, inequality and identity, and how sociologists research them. This page shows how each board sets the three exams, the marks your child really needs for an A*, A or B, and how to write strong evaluation. Pick your exam board and the page changes to match.
- 3 exams
- About 6 hours in total
- No coursework
- Grades A* to E
Exam board
Not sure which board? Ask your child's school, or check the front of a mockA practice exam, usually set by school a few months before the real thing. paper.
The exams at a glance
AQA A-Level Sociology (7192). 3 papers, 6 hours of exams and 240 marks in total. Each paper is worth 33% of the grade.
Specification: AQA A-Level Sociology (7192)
What's in the exams
The shares are each paper's weight in the final grade. Pearson's June 2026 grade boundaries list no A-Level in this subject.
- Education with theory and methods33%
- Topics in sociology (two options)33%
- Crime and deviance with theory and methods33%
How the grading works
How the grading works
Everyone sits the same papers. The marks are added up and the total decides the grade, from A* down to E. Papers combine short answers with long essays. Research methods and sociological theories run through every paper.
The marks you really need for each grade
You do not need 90% for a top grade. Grade boundaries are set after the exams are marked, so a grade stays the same standard even when the papers are harder. These are the real AQA boundaries from June 2026:
Source: AQA, A-level grade boundaries June 2026. Boundaries change slightly every year.
Your target score in practice papers
Sit a full set of past papers under timed conditions every few weeks. Work out the percentage for each set, ignore your single worst result (everyone has an off day) and average the rest. Aim for:
83%
to secure a grade A*
75%
to secure a grade A
65%
to secure a grade B
We add 5 percentage points to last year's boundary, because boundaries move a little each year and exam nerves cost marks.
Past paper mock builder
Pick an exam series and we'll set out the full AQA mock: which papers to sit, how long to allow and where to download them. Then type in your marks to see the grade they would have earned.
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Paper 1, June 2026 · Education with theory and methods · 2 hours
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Paper 2, June 2026 · Topics in sociology · 2 hours
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Paper 3, June 2026 · Crime and deviance with theory and methods · 2 hours
Download the papers and mark schemes: AQA official past papers or Save My Exams past papers. Exam boards keep the most recent series for schools only for a while, so if the newest one isn't there, take the one before.
Enter your marks for each paper to see the grade they would have earned.
What Sociology is really about
Where the word comes from
"Sociology" was coined by the French thinker Auguste Comte in the 1830s, joining the Latin socius, "companion", with the Greek -logia, "study".
Where it comes from
Sociology took shape in the 1800s with thinkers such as Émile Durkheim in France, Karl Marx, who wrote much of his work in the British Museum Reading Room in London, and Max Weber in Germany. In London, Charles Booth's poverty maps of the 1880s and 1890s showed street by street how people lived.
Why it's still taught
Sociology helps students understand inequality, crime, family life and education, and teaches them to evaluate evidence and arguments. It leads to degrees in sociology, criminology, social policy and law, and careers in social work, teaching, policing, HR and research.
How to do well in A-Level Sociology
Learn the key theories
Functionalism, Marxism, feminism and interactionism appear in every topic. Know how each views society.
Learn named studies
Sociologists, studies and statistics give essays weight. Flashcards help.
Master research methods
Methods questions ask about strengths and weaknesses of different research approaches.
Apply to the item
Many questions include a short "item". Answers must use it, not ignore it.
Evaluate in every long answer
Top answers weigh theories and evidence against each other.
Use current examples
Recent statistics and news stories make answers relevant.
The three best places to revise
Our teachers' picks. We have no connection with these sites.
Tutor2u Sociology
Free revision notes, videos and exam guidance, especially strong for AQA.
ReviseSociology
Free notes on theories, studies and methods, written by a sociology teacher.
Office for National Statistics
Free official statistics on families, crime and education to use as evidence.
Questions parents ask
Not sure where your child stands?
Our free 45-minute assessment often uses a real past paperA real exam from a previous year, used for practice., so you'll know their likely grade and exactly what to work on. Lessons online across the UK, or at our seven London hubs.