Social Science

The team from Tonbridge, who won the Bank of England Target 2.0 Competition

Social science is, in its broadest sense, the study of society and the manner in which people and organisations behave and impact on the world around us.

The Social Science Faculty covers three separate subjects and currently offers A level courses in Economics (AQA), Politics (Edexcel) and Business Studies (OCR). The content of all three subjects is fluid - it can change every day and often does! These are subjects then that particularly appeal to students who are engaged with the world around them and who are interested in current affairs.

Our courses are popular throughout the ability range but especially with those that appreciate discussion. There are few 'right answers' in these subjects and students able to provide strong justifiable opinions, who can also appreciate alternative arguments, inevitably perform well. As a result, boys often combine these subjects with a variety of humanities subjects such as History, English, Modern Languages and Geography, although for many they sit comfortably with Mathematics and Science.

Virtually all boys in the Faculty continue with their subjects from AS to A2 level, and around two thirds of the students go on to read a university degree related to them. Some candidates are prepared each year for Oxbridge application, to read Economics, PPE, Economics & Management, Social and Political Sciences and Modern History and Politics.

A Social Science Society - which meets once per term - attracts many high profile public figures from the world of business, economics and politics as visiting speakers.
The Faculty also runs an overseas annual, ten-day trip in the October half-term. Recently this has been to the United States of America - visiting New York City and Washington DC with the emphasis on visiting political, business, economic and cultural establishments. There are plans to visit China in 2010.