Interested in joining Goodwin Academy's Sixth Form in September 2025? Visit our Admissions page for more details or email us at admin@goodwinacademy.org.uk if you have any questions.
Interested in joining Goodwin Academy's Sixth Form in September 2025? Visit our Admissions page for more details or email us at admin@goodwinacademy.org.uk if you have any questions.
This subject has always been a popular choice with students of Goodwin Academy with a large proportion of the local workforce being employed within health, social care or early years services. We are a small department but our dedication to our students is reflected in the excellent results we achieve year upon year.
The subject is our passion, a passion we endeavour to share with our students, enabling them to fully appreciate the importance of this subject and of the many career and life changing opportunities it can afford them.
Through the health and social care curriculum, students will develop knowledge and understanding which can effectively lead them into any of the caring professions. Students will be supported and encouraged to complete independent research and apply study skills that will empower and enable them to achieve success and live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.
Many of the skills they will develop will be transferrable and will prove to be excellent life skills for the future. For example, they will be taught to explain, describe and analyse effectively. They will learn the importance of effective communication both verbal and non-verbal and its impact.
Reflective practice is a key element of the subject and students will be encouraged to develop an awareness of their own strengths and areas for development to further their career opportunities and to achieve their BEST.
In Key stage 4, students study the OCR Level 1/2 Cambridge National Certiicate in Health and Social Care. It is a two year course during which time students study four different units:
| Title | GLH | Method of assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essential values of care for use with individuals in care settings | 30 | Externally set and assessed examination: 1 hour duration. |
| Communicating and working with individuals in health, social care and early years settings | 30 | Coursework which is internally assessed prior to external moderation. |
| Understanding body systems | 30 | Coursework which is internally assessed prior to external moderation. |
| Using basic first aid procedures | 30 | Coursework which is internally assessed prior to external moderation. |
The three coursework units all contain an element of practical application which students have to demonstrate and upon which part of their assessment is based, with the remainder being coursework-based. All units carry an equal weighting so are 25% of the overall total marks.
Students have the opportunity to take the examination unit twice, and the highest mark they achieve counts towards their final grade.
The course is equivalent to one GCSE and provides an excellent introduction for anyone who may wish to study Health and Social Care at level 3, either in our 6th Form or at College, or who may wish to apply for an apprenticeship in health, social care or early years settings. This course may also lead on to studying a Level 3 Childcare Course, Level 3 Public Services or Nursing Qualifications.
A key element of all units across Key Stage 4 and 5 is equality of opportunity and, whilst students will study and learn about this vital aspect, we, in the health and social care faculty ensure all students have equality of opportunity to the curriculum. All teaching is designed, and subject content delivered to ensure all students can access the highest grades; to achieve this outcome resources and delivery is differentiated to meet the individual needs of our students, within the constraints of examination board. For some students this may be extra 1-2-1 feedback, assignments and reading materials reproduced in larger font, or on different coloured paper. Assignments may also be adapted giving extra instructions, or breaking down tasks which can then be delivered in smaller ‘chunks’.
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 10 | R022: Communicating and working with individuals in health, social care and early years’ settings
R028: Understanding the development and protection of young children | |||||
| Year
11 | R021: Essential values of care for use with individuals in care settings
R028: Understanding the development and protection of young children | |||||
The Values of Care which underpin all health and social care and early years work have at their core the promotion of individual rights and beliefs, which stem from the UK Government’s adoption of the Human Rights Act. Students who study this subject will learn about key UK legislation that affects health, social care and early years settings including the Human Rights Act and Equality Act which uphold British Values.
Students will learn about the role health and safety plays in protecting everyone in the work place, including employees, service users and visitors and the need to be ever vigilant in order to safeguard those who are vulnerable. They will have the opportunity to discuss ethical dilemmas such as an individual’s right to refuse possible life saving treatment.
Extra reading is always encouraged and the following titles will prove useful to studies: