What is Health and Social Care and is it suitable for me?

Do you enjoy being with people? Perhaps you might not be sure exactly what you want to do but know that you want to be involved with children or the elderly or teenagers or people who have a disability or simply hope to eventually work in a job which helps and enhances the lives of others?

Health and Social Care may sound like a course only for social workers and nurses. It has, in reality, a much wider relevance than that and provides a recognised qualification for career training in many allied professions.

The Vocational A level in Health and Social Care is offered as either a Double Award (12 units) which is over two years and equivalent to two A levels. Alongside the Double Award you can study AS, A levels or a Single Award from another vocational area. Your choice will depend on your interests and career aims, although Sociology and Psychology are both complementary.

The course covers a range of social science related subjects, which give you an understanding of people - biologically, psychologically and socially. It also gives you a broad knowledge of the structures which have been created in society to help others. These subjects are academic but the content is applied to this area of work. Among the units you will study are: Child development, communication, physical aspects of health, social policy, human growth and development and health education.

How will I study?

Our lessons are a mixture of the formal and the less formal and are delivered by a variety of staff with expertise in the relevant area. Some sessions will be in the form of lectures but you will also learn through a mixture of activities - whether working individually or in groups. You will participate in role plays, discussions and presentations. Practical application of knowledge and skills are a key aspect of the course at St. Angela’s. As with other Advanced level courses, homework is a vital part of your studies. On average you will be expected to do between 8 and 10 hours per week on the Double Award and between 4 and 5 on the Single Award. During the course you will experience working in an area of health and social care to increase your skills and knowledge. Throughout the term the group will visit health & social care settings in order to personally experience the reality of this type of work and at the end of the first year you will be able to spend two full weeks at work experience.

You will also study Key Skills in IT, Communication and Numeracy.

How will I be assessed?

Coursework: Year 1 – 2/3 Year 2 – 2/3

Exam:          Year 1 – 1/3 Year 2 – 1/3 

How will your work be assessed?

Some of the units will be tested by means of a 90 minute exam and others through portfolio evidence.  Students will carry out their own investigations into an aspect of Health and Social Care, supported by their teachers, and write a report.  This portfolio evidence will be assessed throughout the course and on completion.  Evidence for the main Key Skills will be collected at the same time.

Both tests and assignments will be graded A to E. Double Award students will attain two grades overall and Single Award students one grade.

And afterwards?

Students go on to a variety of Higher Education courses and jobs. In the past students have taken courses leading to professional qualifications in primary teaching, nursing, occupational therapy, midwifery, speech therapy, social work, and youth and community work. Some students have opted to take a subject oriented degree course at University, such as psychology, social policy, early years studies and health studies. Other students have left and entered employment. Some have taken up places in nurseries, nursing and residential homes where they have pursued further training. Some students have chosen to work less directly with people and gone on to work in administration in social care services or hospitals.