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Due to the current situation, departmental curriculum plans are not currently available.
Here is the Cowley COVID resuming plan as an interim guide.
Curriculum aim
At Cowley, The BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care provide much of the underpinning knowledge for the National Occupational Standards in Health and Social Care/Health and consequently act as a robust introduction to both sectors. They prepare learners for employment in the sectors or for higher education. They are also mapped to the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework, which was developed as part of the Agenda for Change process for updating the way NHS staff roles are defined and developed. Learners will benefit from gaining a number of mandatory units as well as a wide range of optional and specialist optional units according to the route embarked on. They will also benefit from gaining work experience in the sectors. These opportunities will aid career choices and potentially attract learners into the sectors.
The specification lends itself to creative delivery, using learners’ work experience as a focal point and enabling learning to be as active, practical and work-related as possible. Alongside this, it provides robust opportunities for learners to gain knowledge and understanding of a wide range of subject areas relating to health and social care. The variety of endorsed titles enable learners to focus on a sector of particular interest or relevance to them, whilst the unendorsed pathway enables those learners who are unsure of potential career pathways to gain a more general health and social care qualification. The units that are common to all endorsed titles provide opportunities for flexible delivery within centres. The BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care encourage a holistic approach with strong links identified between the delivery and assessment of appropriate units. A key feature is also the opportunity throughout the duration of the programme for learners to produce a personal and professional development portfolio, which links many aspects of their programme, as well as experiences outside the programme.
Curriculum structure
Our curriculum is organised to give our learners a core of underpinning knowledge, skills and understanding, and a range of options to reflect the breadth of pathways in a sector. This gives learners the opportunity to gain a broad understanding and knowledge of the Health & Social Care sector as well being able to investigate areas of specific interest. The curriculum is designed to develop essential skills and attributes prized by employers, further education colleges and higher education institutions.
Students studying Health & Social Care at Cowley will start their learning by studying towards and externally assessed unit which underpins their knowledge of the Health Care industry. Following that they study portfolio based units which culminate in a synoptic/coursework and external assessments which will require them to utilise all of the skills and knowledge they have acquired in previous units of work.
Curriculum in action
Curriculum Beyond the Classroom
Experience of the different Health & Social care settings is vital to understanding and developing skills in this sector. As a result we arrange several guest speakers and we ensure that the mandatory placement hours are conducted in a variety of settings so that student have the greatest possible opportunities to broaden their understanding and experiences of the Health & Social care sector.
Subject Expertise
All staff delivering Health & Social care have delivered the curriculum at Level 2 and Level 3 for over five years. All have relevant qualifications to at least degree level with one member of staff being a Qualified Nurse. All new members of staff are given a full set of resources and are supported in assessment via the internal verification process.
Destinations
There are mandatory units and optional units. Mandatory units, developed in consultation with employers and educators, give learners the opportunity to gain a broad understanding and knowledge of a vocational sector. Optional specialist units focus more closely on a vocational area, supporting
progression to a more specialised Level 3 vocational or academic course or to an Apprenticeship.
Staff delivering Health & Social Care will have an ongoing dialogue with students about career choices and opportunities. Very often staff receive latest information about new courses, work experience and employment opportunities. This is relayed to students and staff facilitate students in their application process.
The sector-specific skills and knowledge will provide a sound basis for progression to further study of this sector at level 3 through a vocational qualification such as a BTEC National in Health & Social Care, an apprenticeship in the Healthcare Sector or a Degree programme such as Health & Well-being or a Degree in Nursing studies.