Health & Social Care and Child Development

In society today around 3 million people in the UK work in the health and social care sectors, which is equivalent to 1 in every 10 people.  Demand for both health care and social care is likely to continue to rise due to the ageing population, and change in lifestyles, therefore it is indisputable that it plays a key role in UK society.

 Complimenting other subjects and the wider school, students will experience and study a vast range of Health and Social Care and Child Development topic areas, requiring them to demonstrate maturity and respect for others. Students will become confident and fully prepared to manage their emotions for the many challenges and opportunities they face in managing people’s health and well-being as well as their own, preparing them for life and inspiring them to work in Modern Britain. Students will gain key competencies in the areas of research, essay writing and exam technique which will support them in further study and into their professional lives.

All students are welcome to study Health and Social Care/Child development and we aim to nurture every student through their journey to develop their resilience, expression and independence, growing into well-rounded individuals to succeed in today’s diverse society. The subject content is relevant and important for all people and we deliver the curricula in a way that is fully inclusive.  We break down the theory into manageable chunks and use real life examples to consistently apply and support students’ understanding of the world around them.  Our lessons are structured in such a way that there is ample opportunity to support students as well as stretch and challenge the most able students.  The lessons learned within our curricula are important for all students and we ensure that everyone is able to access and understand the key theories.

The use of real-life case studies in all our lessons, highlights the need for students to read and support their understanding of the real world.  The more students read about the world in which they live, the better able they are to comprehend the subjects we study. By giving students the opportunity to explore academic reading such as medical journals, aids them for future learning at University. 

Recommended Reading: 

The most powerful reading to improve understanding will come from 20 minutes per day reading the main health news articles on BBC News – Health, as well as the latest news from the Nursing and Midwifery Council PACEY (Professional Association for childcare and early years education).

The following are suggestions of books to consider, but the list of reading that is relevant is varied and should be adjusted to meet your own personal areas of interest. 

My Sister’s Keeper – Jodi Picoult

This is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay

The Fault in Our Stars – John Green

Elizabeth is Missing – Emma Healy 

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest – Ken Kesey

To gain insight into the Health and Social Care sector we use case studies and link our theory to current situations we face in society today. We use TV programs and current research to explore these issues and to gain knowledge in how these impact all individuals.  As we are now emerging into a post Covid world  we are aiming to increase opportunities. 

We hope to be able to offer the following enrichment opportunities as part of extending the Health and Social Care department: 

  • Medic Society within school
  • Penpal opportunities to people living in care homes locally 
  • Guest speakers who work within the Health and Social Care sector

Curriculum Maps

Here you can browse the curriculum maps for each Key Stage. Use the tabs to select the subject and key stage you wish to view, and use the left & right arrows to browse through the slides.