Health & Social Care

Health & Social Care Department Intent

About 3 million people in the UK work in health and social care, which is equivalent to 1 in every 10 people.  Demand for both health care and social care is likely to continue to rise due to the ageing population, and the demand for people to fill these vital jobs will continue to increase.

Our intention is to provide a dynamic and knowledge rich KS4 and KS5 curriculum, which gives learners the opportunity to progress to KS5 and beyond. These courses will help learners to develop key transferable skills and knowledge such as good communication, self-evaluation and research skills.

​Learners will study how people grow and develop over the course of their lives from infancy to old age, and the factors that may affect this, such as major life events like marriage or parenthood.  Learners will analyse this impact from a positive and negative viewpoint, demonstrating empathy, exploring how people adapt to these changes and the local and national health and social care support that is available to them. They will study how people access the local health and social care services provided and the support that is given in the local community, be given the opportunity to demonstrate and apply the key care values to scenarios, develop skills in measuring and interpreting data about someone’s physiological health to design a care plan. Learners will also benefit from guest speakers from their local community and beyond and encouraged to visit and take part in work experience in a variety of setting such as pre-schools, primary schools and nursing homes.  We will raise all student aspirations by developing links with universities and local employers.   Overall, learners will be given the opportunity to reflect on the choices they make and how they affect others.​

KEY STAGE 4

​WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?
Anyone with an interest in people, how human development happens and how our lives are affected by this development. Those with an interest in caring for others and in the health and caring professions, including nursing, midwifery, social work and teaching.
 
EXAM BOARD, COURSE CONTENT & ASSESSMENT DETAILS
This is a Level 2 BTEC Tech Award in Health and Social Care that is equivalent to a GCSE and  aims to:
 

• develop your knowledge and understanding of the sector
• gain an  appreciation of the importance of care values
• analyse and evaluate your own caring and communication skills

 
The course has two internally assessed components, and one that’s externally assessed:
 
Unit 1: Human Lifespan Development (internally assessed assignments 30%)
 

• explore how individuals develop physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually over time
• investigate how various factors, events and choices may impact on individuals’ development
• discover how people adapt to life events and cope with making changes

 
Unit 2: Health and Social Care Services and Values (internally assessed assignments 30%)
 

• learn which health and social care services are available
• identify why people might need to use these services
• discover who’s involved in providing these services
• explore what might stop people from accessing the services they need
• look at the care values which ensure people get the care and protection they need

 
Unit 3: Health and wellbeing (Externally assessed task based on a brief 40%)
 

• learn what ‘being healthy’ means to different people
• explore the different factors that might influence health and wellbeing
• identify key health indicators and how to interpret them
• assess someone’s health using what you have learned
• create a health and wellbeing improvement plan
• reflect on the potential challenges the person may face

 
WHAT CAN THIS COURSE LEAD TO POST 16?
You might continue on to further vocational and academic study at level 2 and level 3, or choose apprenticeships and traineeships. What’s more, the practical transferable skills you  master during your studies such as self-reflection, communication, teamwork and problem solving will also support your progress in the present and the future.
 
FOR WHAT CAREERS WILL THIS COURSE BE USEFUL? 
If you are interested in any of the caring professions (nursing, teaching, social  work, nursery worker, midwifery, paramedic, physiotherapy and many others), Health and Social Care is a really useful way of developing an understanding of the skills needed.