Course Summary
With the population living longer in the UK the health and social care sector is experiencing huge growth and is one of the biggest industries in East Anglia. Our courses cover a wide range of topics and skills and prepare you for work, further study in the sector or university.
Course Details
The topics covered offer an insight into how knowledge and skills are applied to health and social care settings. Teaching methods are varied and include practical role plays, visiting speakers, case studies based on real people, independent study and, use of professional resources designed to train care workers.
Areas that you will study include:
* Human Lifespan Development
* Working in Health and Social Care
* Anatomy and Physiology for Health and Social Care
* Current Research in Health and Social Care
* Meeting Individual Care and Support Needs
* Work Experience in Health and Social Care
* Principles of Safe Practice in Health and Social Care
* Promoting Public Health
Additional units across the 2 years will include subjects such as Psychology, Supporting individuals with additional needs, Understanding mental wellbeing, Caring for individuals with dementia, Nutritional Health.
During the first year of study you will complete nine units, six of which will be submitted for the Extended Certificate which is an A-level equivalent with UCAS points. Units are assessed through a mix of external exams, and coursework assessment.
Progression to year 2 is dependent upon achieving an overall Merit from the first year units, and the completion of all required units. The qualifications that you achieve all carry appropriate UCAS tariff points, and individuals wishing to progress to University are encouraged to look in advance at the course entry requirements, to ensure that they will meet these from both a GCSE and Tariff point perspective.
How will it be delivered and assessed?
This course is continually assessed by a combination of:
* Exams
* Project and assignment work
* Demonstration of competence in a range of practical skills
All students are expected to complete study hours in the Learning Resource Centre, and complete 120hrs of work experience in each year of the course.
How many UCAS points will I achieve on this course?
Our level 3 vocational courses qualify for UCAS tariff points to apply for university in the same way as A-Levels. This course is an extended diploma which is delivered over two years and you could achieve up to 168 UCAS points (which is equivalent to three A* grades at A-Level).
BTEC extended diplomas are graded as a pass, merit, distinction or distinction star (with distinction star being the highest grade) with the overall grade being a combination of three grades which represent an aggregation of your performance on mandatory and optional units on the course.
The following table gives some examples on the amount of UCAS points you can achieve on a BTEC extended diploma:
| BTEC grade | UCAS Points |
| --- | --- |
| 3x D| 168 |
| 2x D, D| 160 |
| D*DD | 152 |
| DDD | 144 |
| DDM | 128 |
| DMM | 112 |
| MMM | 96 |
| MMP | 80 |
| MPP | 64 |
| PPP | 48 |
Depending on your circumstances, you may study a smaller qualification, such as a subsidiary diploma (for example, if you only complete one year) or general diploma which may carry less UCAS tariff points.
You can find more details and examples on the UCAS tariff points calculator here.
Entry requirements
You will need:
* 5 or more GCSEs at grade 4 or higher, including at least one from English Language and maths (you must have at least a grade 3 in the other)
* A satisfactory DBS check
Or:
* A relevant Level 2 qualification at Merit grade or higher
* Good grades at English and maths
* A satisfactory DBS check
If you are aged 19 or older, relevant industry experience may be accepted. However, you might also wish to look at courses such the Access programmes, which might be more suitable.
You will be invited to an information session to help us ensure the course is right for you.
Your next steps...
Students can progress on to Higher Education, into employment, or on to an Apprenticeship. Subject areas at Higher Education typically include:
* Social Work
* Sociology
* Criminology
* Psychology
* Psychosocial Studies
* Midwifery
* Adult Nursing
* Paediatric Nursing
* Mental Health Nursing
Additional information
https://www.cwa.ac.uk/school-leavers
For more courses like this, check our courses page.