OxfordAQA International A-Level Sociology (9690): Preparing for a Brand-New Specification

OxfordAQA International A-Level Sociology (9690) is a brand-new specification: first teaching from September 2026, with first AS exams in May/June 2027 and first A-level exams in May/June 2028. There are no past papers yet; OxfordAQA’s 9690 qualification page links a specimen question paper and mark scheme for Unit 1 (9690/01) only. This guide is written from the specification’s published assessment structure, with the Unit 1 specimen as the one board-produced paper to practise against. The qualification is five units, all equally weighted at 20% of the full A-level each: AS Unit 1 (Families; Research Methods, 1 hour 45 minutes, 60 marks), AS Unit 2 (Socialisation and Social Control; Research Methods, 1 hour 45 minutes, 60 marks), A-level Unit 3 (People and Development, 1.5 hours, 50 marks), A-level Unit 4 (People and the Environment, 1.5 hours, 50 marks), and A-level Unit 5 (People and Technologies, 1.5 hours, 50 marks). These notes complement the site’s guides to Introducing Sociology and Exploring Sociology.

Only Unit 1 has a specimen paper – use it, and the specification for the rest

Because first assessment is not until May/June 2027 (AS) and 2028 (A-level), there are no past papers yet, and the qualification page links a specimen question paper and mark scheme for Unit 1 only. Exam-preparation priority: sit the Unit 1 specimen under timed conditions (1 hour 45 minutes) and mark it against its mark scheme; for Units 2 to 5, build exam technique from the specification’s stated assessment structure and general sociological writing skill – structured essays, evaluated evidence, applied concepts.

Every unit is weighted identically, so none can be deprioritised

Unlike many modular qualifications where A-level units outweigh AS units, all five of 9690’s units carry exactly 20% each. Exam-preparation priority: revise all five topics to comparable depth rather than assuming the later A-level units matter more, since the weighting gives no unit priority over another.

Research Methods runs through both AS units

Both AS Unit 1 (Families) and AS Unit 2 (Socialisation and Social Control) pair their substantive topic with Research Methods content. Exam-preparation priority: treat research methods as a single cumulative thread across both AS units rather than two separate topics, since the same methodological concepts – sampling, validity, reliability, ethics – recur in both.

Applying sociological theory to named studies is the core evaluative skill

Sociology essays are marked on the ability to apply named theories and studies to a stated question and weigh their strengths and limitations, not simply to describe theory in the abstract. Exam-preparation priority: build a bank of named studies and theorists per topic now, since this skill can be practised against the Unit 1 specimen and against any plausible essay question drawn from the specification’s own content list.

Worked routine: structuring a sociological evaluation paragraph

The routine below is an original model written for this resource, not a reproduction of any official past paper, specimen paper or mark scheme.

Step 1 - state the theoretical claim or named study being used:
Identify the theorist or study precisely before evaluating it.

Step 2 - explain what evidence or reasoning supports the claim:
The basis for taking the claim seriously in the first place.

Step 3 - give a specific criticism, not a generic one:
Tied to this theory or study's own method, sample or assumptions
-- not a stock criticism that could apply to anything.

Step 4 - introduce a contrasting perspective:
A different theoretical tradition or a later study that complicates
the original claim.

Step 5 - conclude what the balance of evidence supports:
Directly answering the essay question's own terms, not a general
restatement of both sides.

Step 3 is the step most worth practising now, alongside the Unit 1 specimen: generic criticisms (“small sample size,” “outdated”) score lower than criticisms specific to the named study’s own design.

Before/during exam checklist

• Before the exams: sit the Unit 1 specimen paper and mark it against its mark scheme, and build exam technique for the other units from the specification rather than waiting for past papers; revise all five units to comparable depth, since none outweighs another; build a named-study and theorist bank per topic now.
• During any paper: identify the theory or study precisely before evaluating it.
• In every evaluative paragraph: state the claim, give supporting evidence, offer a specific (not generic) criticism, introduce a contrasting perspective, and conclude against the question’s own terms.

Self-test

1. What board-produced practice material exists for this specification so far, and what does that mean for preparation?
2. How are the five units weighted, and what does that imply for revision priority?
3. How does Research Methods content connect the two AS units?
4. What distinguishes a strong evaluative criticism from a weak one?

Answers: 1. No past papers yet, because first assessment is not until May/June 2027 (AS) and 2028 (A-level); the only board-produced paper is the Unit 1 specimen question paper and mark scheme, so Unit 1 can be practised against it, and preparation for the other units is built from the specification’s own assessment structure and general sociological writing skill. 2. All five units are weighted 20% each, so no unit can be deprioritised relative to the others. 3. Both AS units pair their substantive topic (Families; Socialisation and Social Control) with Research Methods content, making it a single cumulative thread across both papers. 4. A strong criticism is specific to the named study’s own method, sample or assumptions, rather than a generic point that could be raised against almost any study.

Written against the assessment section of OxfordAQA’s own International AS/A-level Sociology (9690) qualification page, explicitly titled as a new specification (official OxfordAQA page, verified 2026-08-28); the unit structure, timings and equal 20% weightings are exactly as the board’s own Assessment section states them. On 2026-09-16 the page linked a specimen question paper and mark scheme for Unit 1 (9690/01) only. The evaluation routine above is an original model written for this resource, not a reproduction of any official past paper, specimen paper or mark scheme. Always check the current specification for your examination series at oxfordaqa.com.