Intent:

Modern society is ever evolving in terms of ‘societal norms’, however, human development and how we treat and care for one another continues to be at its core. Health and Social Care is one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK with demand for both health and social care employees continuously rising. The adult social care sector contributes approximately £41.2 billion a year to the UK economy. Approximately 3 million people are currently employed in the sector.  It is estimated that by 2035 approximately 2.17 million health and social care job vacancies will need to be filled. There are also strong opportunities for post-16 progression in this important sector’.

Health and Social Care is an ideal subject to broaden horizons for students working at all levels especially those who would like to find out more about health and social care sector. This course offers a practical introduction to life and work. The aim of the Health and Social care curriculum is to equip our students to discover the impact of positive and negative human development and how to critically analyse how these factors affect our day to day lives. Health and Social Care enables students to explore academically and practically areas that influence how we develop throughout life stages and in turn raise expectations of how we can live successful and healthy lives now and in our future. We have highly ambitious expectations at Saltash of all of our students and are unapologetic in our pursuit of academic excellence in this and every subject.

In Health and social care, we achieve this through promoting opportunities for students to draw from real life experiences, case studies and opportunities to undertake research to compliment learning and create skills that will be used throughout their lives. As well as develop knowledge of current legislation, anatomy and physiology and health and safety. These skills encourage students to think outside typical teenage egocentrism and begin to challenge the way they perceive the world we live in. Furthermore, highlighting how human relationships, physical environments and socioeconomic status may influence how they develop. Through investigation of health and well-being and how our lifestyle choices effect how healthy we are, students access different resources and external agency advice and guidance that encourages them to talk about areas and raise awareness of signs and symptoms of abuse, addiction, physical illness, and mental health. Our diverse range of learning through research, practical application projects, group discussions, role play and external assessments -topics are explored that are engaging, promoting, with time for powerful knowledge and cultural capital to be explored and teenage mindsets to be broadened. It is imperative students are aware of how the 6 Care Values are transferable skills that they will adhere to throughout their working lives and when working alongside others and within their families. Through reflective practice of their own actions and performance we intend to instil values in students that will encourage them to be well rounded individuals in society with the confidence and buoyancy to empower them to chase their career aspirations and to create, thoughtful and caring individuals who will in turn, pass these values on in the future.

The Health and Social Care curriculum units broadly focus on core values, self-help therapies and life events at Key stage 4. While in 6th form, we prepare students for university degrees through rigor and broadness of topic range including Equality and Diversity; Health, Security and Safety; Anatomy and Physiology, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Nutrition, and Building positive relationships, that prepare them for their focused career pathways.

Concepts: