“In everything I’ve done, I have demonstrated to you how necessary it is to work on behalf of the weak and not exploit them. You’ll not likely go wrong here if you keep remembering that our Master said, ‘You’re far happier giving than getting.” Acts 20:35
“He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.” Luke 10:34
“Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.” Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Health and Social Care gives students the opportunity to explore and investigate a subject that at GCSE they haven’t had the opportunity to undertake. What interest’s students the most about this subject is the versatility of knowledge and how it can be used by a multiple disciple. Exploring the different life stages and how expected vs unexpected events impacts us, to the roles and responsibilities of health and social care professionals, and even how we perceive and treat mental health.
Because Health and Social care incorporates areas from subjects taught at KS4. It relates to everyday life, in terms of how we are being cared for, could be treated differently? What laws are in place to ensure equality? Investigating these areas gives students a range of skills, such as using scenarios and case studies to apply models and theories. Answering multiple, short and essay styled questions within the two compulsory exams. Debating the need of medical vs psychological treatment and their effects on patients in the Year 12 coursework unit.
This means that students must have automaticity in their learning; this is established through everyday use of whiteboards and Assessment For Learning (AFL) testing students so that key terms, names, evaluation points become commonplace and embedded in their memory. Students will also be undertaking coursework, embedding organisation skills and great timekeeping to ensure work is submitted by deadlines. Learning within the BTEC format allows students to access a variety if grades and submit work each year which combine together gives students their overall A level grade.
At KS5 we will be offering the BTEC National Health and Social Care Extended Certificate. Giving students the opportunity to study 4 units related to Health and Social Care. Within Year 12 students will undertake one coursework (Unit 11) and one examined unit (Unit 1), this is then replicated in Year 13 whereby students sit the second year of the course and complete both mandatory coursework and examined units.
In Year 12:
Over the academic year students are taught two units in a linear programme, with the examined unit completed in May and the coursework in June.
Students have 90 minutes and can gain 90 marks in the examined Unit 1: Human Lifespan Development topic, the following content is investigated:
Students will need to for the coursework element submit three assignments based on Unit 14 Physiological Disorders and their Care by:
Within Year 13 students will complete the two compulsory units of work, Unit 2 & 5. These will be taught in a linear fashion, with the exam in January and coursework due May.
Unit 2 Working in Heath and Social Care is the examined unit. Whereby students undertake an 80 mark exam, in 90 minutes. They will explore topics such as:
Unit 5 Meeting Individual Care and Support Needs students will learn about four core areas, with the aim to focus on the principles and practicalities that underpin meeting individuals’ care and support needs, which are the foundation of all the care disciplines. These are:
Each student at the beginning of the year is presented with the BTEC National Health and Social Care Unit summary. Explaining the aims and content of each unit. This will be kept in Separate files for each unit. Students will have access to the Health and Social Care online textbook and also the Psychology one to cover Unit 14 Physiological Disorders and their Care.
All lessons and materials are on the curriculum area and wider reading, revision techniques, structure of the course and materials are also on firefly, which is where all homework’s and assessments are set for students. Health and Social Care encourages the use of case studies, and real-life application in both assignments and exams. To help support the coursework content the Unit 14 Physiological Disorders and their Care will have a booklet for each Learning Aim, already printed for students, to help support their learning and understanding. This then provides opportunities in class for the more in-depth debates and discussions to explore the issues surrounding mental health. Within Unit 1 they will be able to complete extension pieces of writing, exam questions, scenarios, which will be supported through questioning within the classroom, differentiation of materials and through the feedback sheets on answers, homework’s and assessments.
Intervention is given in class through one-to-one feedback, through the use of red pen and the development of students’ knowledge and understanding. There are also excellent communications with parents, with A1s being sent home for students reaching and achieving their target grade, parents are also informed when students fall below their target grade. With phone calls and meetings with parents held if students regularly underperform.
YLLs are made aware of student’s success and under achievement, so they can monitor and be updated on their progress throughout the year. After school sessions are also held every Wednesday with specific sessions on coursework and completion of tasks in the examined unit.
Due to Health and Social Care only being taught at A level, it is important for students to be able to see the links to other subjects that they have been taught at GCSE. Health and Social Care encompasses of different topics such as Biology and Psychology allowing students to use their prior knowledge and apply to contexts within the Health and Social Care setting.
Biology- exam board AQA content linked to HSC:
Business Studies- A level Edexcel content linked to Unit 11 Psychological Perspectives
Students within the Approaches topic must explore the Humanistic Perspective and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs when applied to mental health, and what is deemed mentally healthy and how an individual can achieve self-actualisation, as the lower levels such as physiological; and safety needs must be satisfied before reach psychological needs such as self-esteem, students must understand this approach within HSC and how we understand and perceive mental health.
PE AQA A level- taught in Year 12/13 content linked to HSC
Students are taught similar aspects in both Year 12 and Year 13 between PE and HSC. Above shows the direct links to each topic area. Learning and Cognitive models are taught simultaneously with PE in Year 12, aspects of Bandura and effects of drugs enhance students’ knowledge when entering year 13 PE as this material is already taught in Year 12.
Theology A level OCR content linked to HSC
Health and Social Unit 11 requires the students to know about the different psychological approaches within Health and Social Care. Theology teaches students about the Psychodynamic perspective and Freud and his view on mental health and the development of disorders such as OCD being due to an imbalance within the personality and childhood experiences.
Psychology AQA linked to HSC
Health and Social Care directly relates to many aspects of Psychology, through focusing specifically on the infancy and development with PIES to management of mental health in Psychopathology and in Unit 14 whereby students have to investigate the different physiological disorders overlaps with material taught within Biology.
In previous years assemblies have been delivered to Year 11 students on Health and Social Care and what it entails before Information evening later in the year. This allowed students to gain a grasp and an overview before speaking individually to students. Information evening provides a good basis for students to find out about the different topics covered within Health and Social Care. Health and Social care teachers are always present at A level results days and GCSE results day to talk and sign up students in August to start September, and to give any more advice and guidance on the subject.
As part of Health and Social Care students are exposed to a variety of different job roles and their specific responsibilities when caring for people in health and social care settings. From exploring the role of an occupational therapist to a nursery school worker and how they will communicate, work with and support others. This is integral to the Unit 1 and Unit 2 exams and both coursework units Unit 5 and Unit 2. A careers board is on display outside of the HSC class and the pathways students can undertake to achieve them e.g apprenticeships or degree opportunities.
Both internal and external assessments need to be administered carefully to ensure that all learners are treated fairly, and that results and certification are issued on time to allow learners to progress to chosen progression opportunities.
Our equality policy requires that all learners should have equal opportunity to access our qualifications and assessments, and that our qualifications are awarded in a way that is fair to every learner. We are committed to making sure that:
Further information on access arrangements can be found in the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) document Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration for General and Vocational Qualifications.
How we apply this at The Catholic High School, Chester
All reasonable adjustments are adhered to as advised by Pearson, are present in our teaching practices and communication to both students and parents. As the course is made up of both exams and coursework, we will be supporting students with their organisational skills and keeping to deadlines, this will be communicated through our online learning tool, Firefly. By studying a BTEC course students can to work to pass, merit, distinction or distinction *, giving the chance for all students to achieve as it can be differentiated to suit our students needs. The layout of the course, enables students to have opportunities for resubmissions with coursework entries and retakes within exams. The department places emphasis on the school literacy policy, which is reflected in the marking of student’s course work and the use of COPS to support development and inclusion all of students, especially when using key terms and definitions which are needed for the examined unit. Students with additional needs are taught using knowledge of them as individuals. This will be enhanced by our ‘Quality First Teaching’ strategies that will be employed through the Health and Social Care department in both Year 12 and 13.
Cultural capital is the accumulation of knowledge, behaviours, and skills that a student can draw upon and which demonstrates their cultural awareness, knowledge and competence; it is one of the key ingredients a student will draw upon to be successful in society, their career and the world around them.
Health and Social Care encapsulates the concepts of Cultural Capital. By investigating our health and wellbeing, care amongst our community, social and health services. Broadens students’ knowledge and understanding of how we develop, factors which can affect us both physically and psychological and the roles/responsibilities of the people who take care of us. As the likelihood of us visiting the Doctors, Hospital or needing care at some point in our lifetime is extremely high, if not inevitable. Giving students an awareness of job roles, life stages/body changes and knowledge of ethical issues, which will be useful in any future path they choose.
When discussing Health and Social Care (HSC), we often talk about people who may have lost aspects of dignity and our in the most poorest situations, whether this be emotionally, physically or financially. Through learning about barriers to care, stigma associated with disabilities, issues within workplaces regarding discrimination, equality and pay. Students are able to see the true impact of CST and how by showing favourable option for the poor, care for creation and the dignity of work and participation that we can empower people and promote peace and solidarity, and the benefit that has not only on the individual but for the common good for all.
In year 12:
Unit 1 and Unit 14 will be taught by two different teachers, students will have 9 lessons over two weeks, and divided into a 4/5 split. Homework will be set Bi weekly for each unit, meaning students will be handing in work every week.
For Unit 14 students will be at first submitting homework on the taught content of the course with tasks related to Physiological disorders within the course booklet, then by submitting Learning Aims and draft pieces of work.
For Unit 1, homework will be made up of short questions, scenario and essay based homework relating to the exam content, cumulating in revision and completion of past papers and timed exam.
In year 13:
Unit 5 and Unit 2 will be taught by two teachers, students will have 9 lessons over two weeks, and divided into a 4/5 split. Homework will be set Bi weekly for each unit, meaning students will be handing in work every week.
For Unit 5, students will be at first submitting homework on the taught content of the course with tasks related to the care and support needs of individuals, by submitting Learning Aims and draft pieces of work.
For Unit 2, homework will be made up of short questions, scenario and essay-based homework relating to the exam content, cumulating in revision and completion of past papers and timed exam.
We have a two-year rolling programme, where the same coursework will be taught to both Year 12 and Year 13, this will then alternate the following year. E.g 2022-2023 coursework taught was Unit 14, 2023-2024 coursework taught was Unit 5, 2024-2025 course taught Unit 14.
