Aims
The Health and Social Care Department strives for excellence from every learner by encouraging them to embrace experiences and opportunities and to apply their learning to examples within different settings of care. Each student is supported through attending engaging lessons and the use of up to date resources which challenge and motivate them. We believe that every student should be able to achieve the highest grade possible regardless of their ability so will secure the opportunity for all to succeed in all areas of the curriculum.
The aims of the Health and Social Care Department
- To nurture an interest in caring skills.
- To develop presenting and communication skills
- To develop critical thinking skills
- To encourage students to explore a range of different viewpoints on key issues
- To transform students into independent learners who will be able to meet the challenges of an ever changing world
- To encourage students to become confident reflective thinkers
Staff
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- Mrs Jacqueline Chapman
- Mrs Orla Mulhern
- Ms Karen Holt
- Mrs Heather McGee
GCSE
We currently offer two qualification choices at KS4. We offer CCEA GCSE single award Health and Social Care and BTEC Level 2 Award in Health and Social Care.
The GCSE award comprises of two units: a controlled assessment unit and an exam unit, both equivalent to 50% of the overall GCSE grade. The BTEC comprises of three portfolio based assignments equivalent to 75% of the overall qualification, and an exam unit equivalent to 25% of the overall qualification.
Throughout both qualifications, pupils learn about growth and development from infancy through to later adulthood. They also study the factors that can affect overall development negatively, such as alcohol abuse, drug abuse, smoking and poor diet. As well as the factors that affect health positively, such as income, housing, education and employment. Furthermore, they will study different types of healthy and unhealthy relationships and the support available when relationships go wrong.
The content of both courses gives pupils an insight into issues that practitioners mat face on a daily basis, and helps to prepare them for different jobs within the Health and Social Care sector.
Post 16
As a department we currently offer two main pathways for our pupils progression into post 16. We offer courses that aim to provide all pupils with access to learning opportunities that meet their diverse needs.
As a progression route from BTEC Level 2 at KS4 we offer BTEC Level 3 at post 16. This can be taken as a Single or Double award qualification, and is a mixture of both exam and portfolio based units. We also offer CCEA A Level, as a progression route from GCSE. This qualification is also a combination of both exam and controlled assessment units. The focus throughout both qualifications is diversity, equality, development through the life stages, communication, psychological and sociological perspectives, as well as inclusion of the elderly and clients with disabilities.
As part of the course pupils will complete work experience in various Health and Social Care settings, such as Surestart, Rainbow, FDRC, Nursing homes, Day centres and various Primary schools throughout the city.
Examination Performance
The Health and Social Care department performed exceptionally well in the 2018/19 exam series.
- At Key Stage 4, 94.7% of our pupils achieved an A*-C grade in CCEA GCSE Single Award qualification, above the Northern Ireland average of 73%. In addition, 87.5% of our pupils achieved a Pass or above in their BTEC Level 2 Award qualification.
- At Key Stage 5, 95% of our pupils achieved an A*-C grade at A Level, again above the Northern Ireland average of 90.5%, and 100% achieved a Pass or above in the BTEC Level 3 qualification.
This was a great achievement for the department and our pupils, enabling them to access various University courses, such as Nursing, Psychology, Sociology, Social Policy, Biomedical Science, Health Sciences, Criminology and many more.
