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Childhood and the changing status of children

Past-paper questions pack

Name
Class
Date set
Date due
Score/ 168

Questions are numbered; the mark schemes (the answer key) follow on separate pages so the question pages can be handed out alone. www.alevelsociologytutor.com

AQA AQA AS and A-level Sociology past-paper questions since 2016 · 16 parts · mark schemes follow the questions · www.alevelsociologytutor.com · Questions and mark schemes © AQA

1. June 2025 · Paper 2 · Q6 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6
0 6 Read Item D below and answer the question that follows. Item D March of progress sociologists argue that childhood has improved over time. Children today are protected by a wide range of laws and children’s views are more valued than they were in the past. Society has now also become increasingly child-centred. However, other sociologists disagree. They argue that inequalities in society today mean that, for some children, childhood is still a negative experience. Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that childhood has improved over time. [20 marks]
2. June 2024 · Paper 2 · Q5 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3
0 5 Read Item C below and answer the question that follows. Item C In the UK today, there are a range of social policies aimed at protecting vulnerable groups. There are also social policies which impose age restrictions on certain activities, such as paid employment. It can be argued that social policies may have affected the status of children. Applying material from Item C, analyse two ways that social policies may have affected the status of children. [10 marks]
3. June 2024 · AS Paper 2 · Q12 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6
1 2 Read Item B below and answer the question that follows. Item B ‘March of progress’ sociologists suggest that the modern family has become more child-centred than in the past. Each individual child is seen as important. Parents spend a great deal of time and money making sure that their children enjoy a comfortable upbringing. Critics of this view would point to examples of child poverty and other negative experiences that children today may face. Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the modern family has become more child-centred. [20 marks]
4. June 2023 · AS Paper 2 · Q9 · 2 marks · AO2=2
0 9 Using one example, briefly explain how the experience of childhood may differ between ethnic groups. [2 marks]
5. June 2022 · Paper 2 · Q4 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
0 4 Outline and explain two ways in which increased life expectancy may have affected the experience of childhood. [10 marks]
6. June 2022 · AS Paper 2 · Q9 · 2 marks · AO2=2
0 9 Using one example, briefly explain how the distinction between adults and children is becoming blurred in modern society. [2 marks]
7. November 2020 · Paper 2 · Q6 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6
0 6 Read Item D below and answer the question that follows. Item D Some sociologists argue that UK society has become more child-centred. Children today are more privileged than they have ever been. There are a large range of laws and policies in place to protect them and there is an increasing emphasis now placed on children’s rights. However, other sociologists argue that the extent of child-centredness is exaggerated, and that childhood can be a negative experience for some children. Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that UK society has become more child-centred. [20 marks]
8. November 2020 · AS Paper 2 · Q9 · 2 marks · AO2=2
0 9 Using one example, briefly explain how the experience of childhood may have improved over the last 50 years. [2 marks]
9. June 2019 · Paper 2 · Q5 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3
0 5 Read Item C below and answer the question that follows. Item C Many marriages now end in divorce. This often creates lone-parent families and single- person households. Serial monogamy has also become a common pattern, with many divorced people remarrying. Applying material from Item C, analyse two ways in which changing patterns of marriage and divorce have affected the experience of childhood. [10 marks]
10. June 2019 · AS Paper 2 · Q11 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
1 1 Outline and explain two ways in which changes in families and households have affected the experience of childhood. [10 marks]
11. June 2018 · Paper 2 · Q5 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3
0 5 Read Item C below and answer the question that follows. Item C There have been a number of demographic changes since 1900. Life expectancy has increased and therefore several generations of a family may be alive at the same time. Also, people now have fewer children. Applying material from Item C, analyse two ways in which demographic trends since 1900 may have affected the nature of childhood in the United Kingdom today. [10 marks]
12. June 2018 · AS Paper 2 · Q9 · 2 marks · AO2=2
0 9 Using one example, briefly explain how childhood may be a negative experience for some children in the United Kingdom today. [2 marks]
13. June 2017 · Paper 2 · Q4 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
0 4 Outline and explain two ways in which changing gender roles within the family may have affected children’s experience of childhood. [10 marks]
14. June 2017 · AS Paper 2 · Q12 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6
1 2 Read Item B below and answer the question that follows. Item B The ‘march of progress’ view argues that the experience of childhood in Western societies has improved in the last 50 years or so. In particular, families have become child centred. However, other sociologists point to many negative aspects of childhood today, such as increased child obesity. Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of changes in the experience of childhood in the last 50 years or so. [20 marks]
15. June 2016 · AS Paper 2 · Q11 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
1 1 Outline and explain two ways in which government policies may affect the experience of childhood today. [10 marks]
16. Specimen set 1 · Paper 2 · Q5 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3
0 5 Read Item A below and answer the question that follows. Item A Parents today spend a great deal of time and money trying to make sure that their children enjoy a comfortable upbringing. They want their children to have opportunities that they themselves never had. ‘March of progress’ sociologists argue that these changes in family life have led to an improvement in the position of children in society. Applying material from Item A, analyse two changes in the position of children in society over the last 100 years. [10 marks]

Mark schemes

1. June 2025 · Paper 2 · Q6
Mark scheme June 2025 Paper 2 Q6
2. June 2024 · Paper 2 · Q5
Mark scheme June 2024 Paper 2 Q5
3. June 2024 · AS Paper 2 · Q12
Mark scheme June 2024 Paper 2 Q12
4. June 2023 · AS Paper 2 · Q9
Mark scheme June 2023 Paper 2 Q9
5. June 2022 · Paper 2 · Q4
Mark scheme June 2022 Paper 2 Q4
6. June 2022 · AS Paper 2 · Q9
Mark scheme June 2022 Paper 2 Q9
7. November 2020 · Paper 2 · Q6
Mark scheme November 2020 Paper 2 Q6
8. November 2020 · AS Paper 2 · Q9
Mark scheme November 2020 Paper 2 Q9
9. June 2019 · Paper 2 · Q5
Mark scheme June 2019 Paper 2 Q5
10. June 2019 · AS Paper 2 · Q11
Mark scheme June 2019 Paper 2 Q11
11. June 2018 · Paper 2 · Q5
Mark scheme June 2018 Paper 2 Q5
12. June 2018 · AS Paper 2 · Q9
Mark scheme June 2018 Paper 2 Q9
13. June 2017 · Paper 2 · Q4
Mark scheme June 2017 Paper 2 Q4
14. June 2017 · AS Paper 2 · Q12
Mark scheme June 2017 Paper 2 Q12
15. June 2016 · AS Paper 2 · Q11
Mark scheme June 2016 Paper 2 Q11
16. Specimen set 1 · Paper 2 · Q5
Mark scheme Specimen set 1 Paper 2 Q5