Health and Social Care

Alongside A levels, BTEC Nationals are the most widely-recognised qualification for admission to higher education.  

They are level 3 vocational qualifications that provide specialist, work-related learning across a range of sectors. BTEC Nationals are designed to equip students with the specialist knowledge, practical skills and understanding they need to progress along their chosen learning and career paths. BTEC Nationals are career-based qualifications designed to give students the skills they need to move on to higher education or go straight into employment. More employers and higher education institutions than ever before are choosing BTEC-qualified candidates for their academic and practical knowledge and skills. 

Units are carefully planned to build upon skills and develop understanding as student’s progress through their two years of study. The course is designed to use teacher specialisms and the mandatory core units of study. Exam based units are spread evenly over the two years and are set early in the year to enable student’s a re-sit if required without disrupting their completion date. The exams are devised to incorporate student’s growing understanding and maturity in the subject. 

Students have the opportunity to gain Pass, Merit or Distinction grades and a variety of these scores is used to build an overall qualification, meaning that students can use their own areas of specialisms and grades fairly to encourage an equal grading system. Students have to pass all units in order to succeed.  

All students that study vocational courses receive quality education throughout each key stage to address their individual needs both academically and socially in a seamless manner. Thus, allowing them to leave school with a variety of appropriate skills and qualities that will lead to employment or further education/training. Developing strong links with real life businesses and their context through the curriculum to give students the opportunity to apply their academic knowledge to everyday work contexts.  We provide students with skills that will be required of them in the world of work which will enable them to achieve economic well-being in the wide range of sectors that value the qualifications we offer. 

Health and Social Care gives learners the opportunity to develop sector-specific knowledge and skills in a practical learning environment.  

The course is taught over two years and covers eight mandatory units and five optional units that adapt to the teacher’s areas of specialism. 

Four exam units are taught; two in year 12 and two in year 13, areas covered include human lifespan development, health and social care services, research methods and anatomy and physiology. All input is given with ample opportunity for mock assessments. Exam units are assessed externally. 

Nine coursework units are covered and assessed internally, usually covering two pieces of coursework each. 

Coursework units uphold strict Pearson guidelines, all teacher input is given and then students are expected to work independently to complete. High quality verbal feedback is maintained and there is one opportunity for students to resubmit work if they have not gained a certain level but have shown they are working towards it. Careful tracking of all units happens throughout the course to enable a grade calculation towards the end of year 13. 

Retrieval starters are embedded in to all units with ongoing assessments and practice questions act as part of the course to encourage long term memory processing.  

Units cover a range of practical aspects and all students are expected to participate.  

The course requires a minimum of 100 hours of work experience, with students finding two placements over the two years of study to enhance their career and higher education opportunities. Students have input in to the area of work they attend and this is carefully discussed with teachers and careers guidance.  

Study of this qualification will help learners to make more informed choices for further study or their chosen professions.  

Internal tracking of assignments is used to ensure students maintain a level of understanding in order to achieve in this qualification, with study time built in to their timetables. Assignment surgeries are held for individual students to encourage a high level of grading and ensure understanding. 

The choices that learners can make post-study will depend on their overall level of attainment and their performance in the qualification.  

Learners who generally achieve at Level 3 across their Key Stage 5 learning might consider progression to: 

• Higher education by studying a degree at university in a range of disciplines such as; nursing, social work, psychology or education. 
• Opportunity to directly enter employment such as; a health care worker, nursery worker or support staff 
• Some students sometimes choose to continue study and combining the world of work by accessing further apprenticeship opportunities