Exam Board: OCR
This course offers a range of mandatory units that covers a variety of topics scaling the entire lifespan from pregnancy to later adulthood. This includes exploring positive relationships, developing effective communication, understanding principles of equality, diversity and rights, recognising health and safety and considering anatomy and physiology. During year two of the course, students will have the opportunity to pursue individual interests and take a health care, social care or childcare pathway. Typically, these units involve areas such as nutrition for health, sexual health, creative and therapeutic activities for adults or young children and dementia care.
Work experience is encouraged and can be whole days off-site in a setting such as a nursery or hospital, or individual lessons supporting and mentoring Year 7 and 8 students within school.
Guest speakers and visitors are a feature of the course and give students the opportunity to hear, and ask questions, about various roles within Health, Social and Child Care settings.
60% examination / 40% coursework
Some units are assessed by exams which are marked externally and others assessed by coursework which is marked internally. These internal assignments can be both written or witness statements of activities such as 1:1 and group work.
Extended Certificate – equivalent to one A-Level (16-56 points. Pass to Distinction*)
College Entry Requirements.
The Extended Certificate, when combined with other A levels, and the Diploma and Extended Diploma alone, provide the UCAS points to enable you to go on to university and study one of the many different courses which will be available to you such as Health and Social Care, Early Childhood Studies, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Nursing, Midwifery, Social Working and Teaching. Other opportunities that could be open to you would be to apply for an apprenticeship within the sector or maybe even support you starting your own business such as a nursery.