Health and Social Care gives students the chance to explore a subject they may not have studied before at GCSE. Students enjoy this subject because the knowledge is versatile and can be used in many careers. They learn about different life stages, how life events (both expected and unexpected) affect people, the roles and responsibilities of care professionals, and how mental health is understood and treated.
The subject links to areas they have learned about at KS4 and relates to everyday life — for example, how we are cared for, how we could be treated differently, and what laws protect equality. Students also develop key skills by using scenarios and case studies to apply theories and models. They practise answering short and essay-style questions in the two compulsory exams. In our Year 12 coursework, students will explore health education through campaigns and the impact this will have on their bodily systems.
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 5) and one examined unit (Unit 2), 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 two assignments based on Unit 5: Health Promotion.
In Year 13
Within Year 13 students will complete the two compulsory units of work, Unit 1 & 3. These will be taught in a linear fashion, with the exam in January and coursework due May.
Unit 2 Human Health and Biology
Students undertake an 80 mark exam, in 90 minutes. They will explore topics such as:
Unit 5 Promoting Health education
Students learn why health education is important. They will look at
In Health and Social Care, we often learn about people who have lost dignity or are in difficult situations — emotionally, physically, or financially. By learning about barriers to care, stigma around disabilities, and problems like discrimination, inequality, and unfair pay, students can understand how CST relates to real life.
CST teaches us to support the poor, care for the world, and respect the dignity and rights of all people. Through this, we can help empower individuals, promote peace, and create a more fair and supportive society — benefiting not just individuals, but everyone.
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:
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 Clinical Psychology and in Unit 2 whereby students have to investigate the different physiological disorders overlaps with material taught within Biology.
Assemblies have been delivered to Year 11 students on Health and Social Care and what it entails before Information evening in January. This allows 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 3. PSHE (Personal, Social, Health, and Economic education) connects closely with BTEC Health and Social Care by covering important topics like health, wellbeing, relationships, and rights. Both subjects help students understand how to care for themselves and others, promote equality, and make informed decisions about health and social issues. Learning about mental health, safeguarding, communication, and personal responsibility in PSHE supports the knowledge and skills needed for success in Health and Social Care.
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.
