Health & Social Care

Health and Social Care provides learners with the opportunity to understand the effects of both positive and negative human development, enabling them to critically examine how these factors influence everyday life.

This subject encourages learners to explore the various influences on development throughout different life stages, instilling higher expectations for living successful and healthy lives both now and in the future. In studying the subject students will gain knowledge about a range of health conditions that can impact individuals.

They are then guided to create Health Plans aimed at improving health and wellbeing, while also addressing and overcoming potential barriers. 

An understanding of key Care Values within Health and Social Care is cultivated, helping students learn how to work effectively in diverse health and social care settings and appreciate the importance of these values. Additionally, learners are encouraged to conduct further research into different care environments and roles, linking these to relevant health conditions. 

Health and Social Care promotes the use of case studies and research projects to enhance learning and develop lifelong skills. These activities challenge learners to move beyond typical adolescent self-focus and broaden their perspectives on the world around them. The subject highlights how human relationships, physical environments, and socioeconomic factors can influence personal development. 

By investigating health and wellbeing and examining how lifestyle choices affect overall health, learners engage with a variety of resources and receive advice from external agencies. This support encourages open discussion and raises awareness of important issues such as abuse, addiction, illness, and mental health. 

Aims of Key Stage 4 curriculum 

In Health and Social Care, we believe that learners deserve a curriculum that equips them for diverse vocational career pathways by providing essential knowledge and skills in Health and Social Care, which can be applied across a range of settings. Our curriculum ensures that every student has the opportunity to: 

• Develop key skills that demonstrate competence in health and social care, such as interpreting data to evaluate an individual’s health status;  

• Understand the processes that support effective working practices in health and social care, including designing plans to enhance an individual’s health and wellbeing; 

• Cultivate attitudes that are fundamental to the sector, including core care values, and gain practical experience in applying these principles;  

• Acquire the knowledge necessary to effectively integrate skills, processes, and attitudes within the health and social care field, covering topics like human growth and development, health and social care services, and factors influencing health and wellbeing; 

• Build a solid foundation of understanding regarding human growth and development, coping with major life events, and the role of health and social care services;  

• Develop and apply practical skills, including demonstrating care values and reflecting critically on personal performance; 

• Engage in reflective practice by developing techniques to respond constructively to feedback and identify areas for improvement, utilizing appropriate presentation methods. 

Subject Lead - Deborah.Forbes@excelsiornewcastle.org.uk 

Health-Social-Care-Curriculum.pdf