Health & Social Care
Head of Department - Mr. M. Kinsella
Intent
The intention of BTEC Health and Social Care is to ensure that each student has the opportunity to understand the wide range of opportunities within the field, as well as preparing students for future employment. The Health and Social Care course is a vocational qualification which takes an engaging, practical and inspiring approach to learning and assessment. The course equips students with a sound, specialist and realistic understanding of how to meet the needs of individuals using services and specialist equipment, whilst challenging stereotypes and discrimination. The study of care values is at the heart of Health and Social Care which develops skills such as empathy, compassion, commitment, tolerance and empowerment. This enables our students to become educated citizens and contributes to society in a positive way. The curriculum within Health and Social Care supports the ethos within the school as the subject is broad, balanced and relevant to the needs of students and employers. The curriculum challenges students to think abstractly, work collaboratively and problem solve to develop curiosity and the desire for knowledge. The course is designed so that the units build upon each other as the students grow in confidence. This allows the students to embed their knowledge whilst giving opportunities to put into practice what they learn. This ensures they develop their technical skills, which they can they apply to real life scenarios through case studies and local community contexts.
Implementation
The implementation of BTEC Health and Social Care will provide a wide range of learning experiences which are accessible to students of all abilities. This involves group work opportunities, clearly differentiated tasks, report writing through internal assessments and examination technique for external assessments and controlled assessments. Aspirational teaching encourages students to complete tasks above target grade and emphasises the importance of real-world experiences through trips and visitors. At Level 2, the internally assessed units are designed to promote deep learning through ensuring the connection between knowledge and practice. Content involves the understanding and application of human growth and development, how people deal with life events, health and social care services, as well as a practical demonstration of care values. The externally assessed unit builds upon this and allows students to interpret and assess an individual’s health and wellbeing. At Level 3, units range from analysing human growth and development, working in health and social care and meeting individual care and support needs. There is a planned programme for monitoring and reflecting on provision, including:
• Cooperative planning meetings
• Fortnightly meeting with SLT line manager
• Termly work scrutiny – to look at pupil books as a department and compare/monitor standards of pupil work All of the above is designed to ensure there is no mismatch between the planned and delivered curriculum in lessons delivered by different members of staff.
We use a variety of teaching strategies, as well as utilising the online curriculum, online text book and packages such as ActiveLearn to support learning. The range of techniques allow for knowledge to become embedded within the long-term memory. Assessments are regular and frequent with recall tests at the beginning of lessons, end of topic tests and mock examinations to prepare students for formal assessment.
Impact
The BTEC Health and Social Care curriculum has a positive impact on the outcomes of every student. It raises awareness of different needs and the range of services available. It promotes good health which will provide life-long benefits on themselves and their families. It has a high success rate in terms of academic results and destinations of students with a consistently high number of students exceeding expectations. Finally, students express their enjoyment within the subject and consistently engage and participate in all activities given. In terms of destinations many pupils go on to pursue a career in this field with positions such as dentistry, clinical nursing, midwifery and paramedics. Thos that choose to further their career academically often attend established universities such as Liverpool John Moores, Edge Hill and Lancaster to gain their degree level qualifications to gain a more senior position within this sector. Many of our students still keep in touch and they have often indicated that it was the grounding from this course that has given them the aspirations to enjoy a career in their relevant sector.
BTEC Level 1/2 Tech Award in Health and Social Care
Health and social care is one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK with demand for both health and social care employees continuously rising. In 2019/20, the adult social care sector contributed approximately £41.2 billion a year to the UK economy. This is a vocational qualification that is equivalent to one GCSE. The concept of this course is that learners will acquire sector-specific applied knowledge through vocational contexts by studying human lifespan development, health and social care services and values, and health and wellbeing. This knowledge is gained through guest speakers, case studies and independent research
Year 10 and 11’s Course Structure
Component |
Title |
Assessment |
Component 1: |
Human Lifespan Development.
|
December Y10 |
Component 2: |
Health and Social care services and Values.
|
November Y11 |
Component 3: |
Health and Wellbeing. (exam) |
January and May Y11
|
Component 1: Human Lifespan Development
How do people grow and develop through their lives? How can factors such as lifestyle choices and relationships affect this? Understanding these processes is essential knowledge and understanding for health and social care practitioners. In this component, you will explore different aspects of growth and development and the factors that can affect this across the life stages. They will explore the different events that can impact on individuals’ physical, intellectual, emotional and social (PIES) development and how individuals cope with and are supported through changes caused by life events.
Component 2: Health and Social care services and Values.
At some point in life everyone will need health care. It is likely that you have already had an appointment with a doctor in your lifetime, in which case you would be described as a service user. Providing good health and social care services is important and service providers need to have the appropriate skills, attributes and values to meet the needs of service users. In this component will give you an understanding of health and social care services and will help you develop skills in applying care values that are common across the sector (some of which are transferable to other sectors that involve interactions with clients or customers).
Component 3: Health and Wellbeing
What does being healthy actually mean? It can mean different things to different people. you will explore the factors that can have a positive or negative influence on a person’s health and wellbeing. You will learn to interpret physiological and lifestyle indicators and what they mean for a person’s state of health. You will learn how this information is used to recommend appropriate actions for improving a person’s health and wellbeing. Additionally, you will explore the difficulties an individual may face when trying to make these changes.
What is the course about?
The Tech Award programme has been developed to provide education and opportunity for students to achieve a level 2 nationally recognised qualification in the area of health and social care. It gives learners the chance to enter the health and social care sector or continue to further programmes such as the Cambridge Technical level 3 Health and Social Care programme. Learners will gain valuable knowledge, skills and techniques that are essential in the Health and Social Care. Looking into 3 areas:
Component 1: Human Lifespan Development
Component 2: Health and Social care services and Values.
Component 3: Health and Wellbeing
Is the course right for me?
You should have an interest in the Health and Social Care sector with the idea of wanting a potential further career in this setting. You need to have a good level of written English skills, you should be good with time management and have the ability to meet deadlines.
How will I be assessed?
2 components (internal assessed)
1 component (exam)
Progression and Career opportunities
The BTEC Level 1/2 Tech Award in Health and Social Care will offer you the opportunity of further and higher education.
At Holy Family we also offer the further study of Health and Social Care at Level 3 a Cambridge Technical. This is assessed through a high production of coursework and exam assessment, with completion being equal to one A Level.
The course can provide learners with the knowledge to a wide range of job opportunities with in the Health, Social Care and Early Years field.
How can I find out more about the course?
Speak to the Health and Social Care teacher
They will be located in the rooms in which the subject is taught this includes T13 and T2.
Subject leader of Health and Social Care Mr M Kinsella who is based in T12 and is happy to answer any questions that students may have.
Useful Links to help with the course
In order to find out more information about the course you can search the Pearson BTEC Tech Award website:
OCR Health and Social Care
Cambridge Technical: Extended Certificate (2016)
Introduction
In this subject you will address a wide range of elements that impact the Health and Social Care sector, its professionals and service users. You will cover a wide range of exciting topics and the impact each one has on the sector. This is an excellent choice for those who want to work in the health, social care or early years settings.
Course Overview
This is a two-year course, over this time you will study a total of 6 units. These will be a combination of internal (coursework units) and external (examined units). All units must be completed to be awarded a final grade, this will be rated on Pass, Merit and Distinction level. The units will run through the two years as follows:
Year 12
Units |
|
Unit 2: Equality, Diversity and Rights (exam) |
January (Resit opportunities)
|
Unit 1: Building Positive Relationships (coursework) |
January (June resit) |
Unit 4: Anatomy and Physiology (exam) |
June (Resit opportunities) |
Unit 2: Equality, Diversity and Rights (exam)
Everyone is different and everyone has rights. Promoting equality and respecting diversity and rights in health, social care and childcare environments is essential in today’s very diverse society.
You will learn to understand the implications of diversity on practice and, also the effects of discriminatory practice on individuals who require care or support. To recognise both good practice, and discriminatory practice in care situations. Finally, develop the judgement and decision-making skills to choose appropriate responses to care situations and determine a course of action to promote the equality, diversity and rights of individuals in care settings.
Unit 1: Building Positive Relationships (coursework)
Professional relationships are paramount to the delivery of safe and effective care and support. An understanding of these relationships and how they are formed is essential if you are considering pursuing a career in the health and social care sector.
You will be introduced to the many different relationships that could be encountered within the Health and Social Care sector, whether with colleagues, senior members of staff, other professionals. You will apply communication and relationship building skills in a practical way, considering how different factors, including context, can impact on the building of positive relationships.
Unit 4: Anatomy and Physiology (exam)
We eat, we breathe, and we control our bodies as well as responding to the external environment; but why and how? This unit will teach you to understand why these essential processes are so important in maintaining life.
This unit aims to introduce you to the basic structure and functions of the body systems involved in everyday activities and maintenance of health, including cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive systems. They will also understand the part played by organs such as the pancreas, liver, and kidney. Unfortunately, things do go wrong, and each system has well-known diseases and disorders. Also, as individuals grow older, they are likely to be affected by malfunctions as a result of degeneration. You will learn understand the effects this has on individuals and what must be done on a daily basis to enable them to lead as full and independent life as possible.
Is this course right for me?
Learners will want to have an interest in the health and social sector and possibly the idea of wanting to have a career based in this area. As the course requires a high demand of written coursework and exam, you will be required to have a good standard of written English with the ability to meet deadlines.
How will I be assessed?
The course is divided as half exam and coursework assessed. You must complete a grade in every unit in order to complete the two-year course and achieve a grade. Grades will be finalised as either Pass, Merit or Distinction depending on points and grades achieved from each individual unit.
How can I find out more about the course?
Speak to the Health and Social Care teacher
They will be located in the rooms in which the subject is taught this includes T13, and T2.
Subject leader of Health and Social Care Mr M Kinsella who is based in T12 and is happy to answer any questions that students may have.
Useful Links
In order to find out more information about the course you can search the OCR Cambridge technical website:
OCR Health and Social Care
Cambridge Technical: Extended Certificate (2016)
Introduction
In this subject you will address a wide range of elements that impact the Health and Social Care sector, its professionals and service users. You will cover a wide range of exciting topics and the impact each one has on the sector. This is an excellent choice for those who want to work in the health, social care or early years settings.
Course Overview
This is a two-year course, over this time you will study a total of 6 units. These will be a combination of internal (coursework units) and external (examined units). All units must be completed to be awarded a final grade, this will be rated on Pass, Merit and Distinction level. The units will run through the two years as follows:
Year 13
Units |
|
Unit 17: Supporting People with Mental Health Conditions. (Coursework) |
January (Resit Opportunities)
|
Unit 3: Health, Safety and Security in Health and Social Care. (Exam) |
January (Resit June) |
Unit 24: Public Health (Coursework) |
June |
Unit 17: Supporting People with Mental Health Conditions. (Coursework)
One in four people will have mental health needs at some point in their life. What does mental health mean? The aim of this unit is to enable students to support individuals with mental health conditions to plan their own care and support suitable to their needs.
You will be exploring the meaning of mental health and mental health needs, and considering issues closely linked with mental health promotion and support. Understanding the themes of inclusion, human rights, advocacy, empowerment and active participation and gain knowledge about the main types of mental health conditions, how these may affect the life of the individual, and different ways that the person may be supported to promote their mental well-being, develop coping strategies to manage their illness, and different forms of treatment that they may be offered.
Unit 3: Health, Safety and Security in Health and Social Care. (Exam)
What does it mean to be ‘safe’? Safety and being safe is a basic human need. Consciously or subconsciously we all take practical steps to stay safe.
You will be introduced to health, safety and security in health and social care. You will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to equip you in maintaining a safe working environment for yourself, your colleagues and individuals who require care and support. You will learn how legislation, policies and procedures work to reduce risks in health and social care and the consequences of not following them. You will also learn how to respond to different incidents and emergencies with health and social care settings.
Unit 35: Public Health
Health and wellbeing extends further than the individual and the implication of poor health has wider impacts on a community, area and even the country. So how is public health protected?
Public health is concerned with protecting and improving the health of the population, rather than focusing on the health of the individual. Through this unit you will develop an understanding of the ways public health and wellbeing is promoted in order to benefit society as a whole and to reduce health inequalities. You will gain an understanding of current public health strategies and initiatives and consider the effectiveness and the implications of health policy for the wider population.
Is this course right for me?
Learners will want to have an interest in the health and social sector and possibly the idea of wanting to have a career based in this area. As the course requires a high demand of written coursework and exam, you will be required to have a good standard of written English with the ability to meet deadlines.
How will I be assessed?
The course is divided as half exam and coursework assessed. You must complete a grade in every unit in order to complete the two-year course and achieve a grade. Grades will be finalised as either Pass, Merit or Distinction depending on points and grades achieved from each individual unit.
How can I find out more about the course?
Speak to the Health and Social Care teacher
They will be located in the rooms in which the subject is taught this includes T13, and T2.
Subject leader of Health and Social Care Mr M Kinsella who is based in T12 and is happy to answer any questions that students may have.
Useful Links
In order to find out more information about the course you can search the OCR Cambridge technical website:
Enrichment
There are a number of enrichment and extra-curricular activities to help all pupils develop their knowledge and skills suitable for the Health and Social Care qualification.
Throughout the course students will have the opportunity for the following:
Guest speakers: We have a range of guest speakers who will come and talk to you about their experiences, in different aspects of the health and social care sector. This provides students with the opportunity of an insight into first-hand experience working within the sector. It will be a chance to ask questions, increase interest in certain fields and consider carer development.
First Aid Training: The opportunity for first aid training is a life skill that is valued by employers and can be used in everyday life. This will be a one-day course that will be offered to students as part of their OCR level 3 program. It will teach students basic first aid in areas such as burns, shock and CPR.