Welcome to the Health & Social Care Department

Why Choose Health & Social Care?

If you’re passionate about helping others, curious about how people grow and develop, or excited by a future career making a difference in your community, this course is an amazing place to start. Health & Social Care is one of the UK’s fastest-growing sectors — and this qualification gives you the perfect foundation to explore it.

Course Overview

The BTEC Tech Award in Health & Social Care gives you a broad and practical understanding of how the health and care sector works. You’ll explore human development, the services that support people, and the factors that shape health and wellbeing.

Across the course you’ll study three components, combining coursework with one exam, so you can shine in different ways.

HSC Curriculum Overview
HSC End Points
Careers Link

Curriculum Content

Year 9

The course covers all fundamental aspects of the BTEC qualification. Students will study Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Social development throughout the different life stages and will be assessed termly through formal written work and assessments. Aspects of these assessments will include gaining the skills to answer BTEC assessment study based questions and preparing pupils with the knowledge and skills they will need to complete a BTEC level 2 Tech award in Health and Social Care in Key Stage 4.

Key Stage 4

Component 1: Human Lifespan Development

Discover how people grow and change physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially (PIES) from infancy through to later adulthood.

You will:

  • Explore growth and development across all life stages
  • Investigate key milestones such as adolescence, early adulthood, and later life
  • Understand how lifestyle choices, relationships and life events influence development
  • Learn how individuals adapt to life events with support from others

Assessment:
You will complete a Pearson Set Assignment with four tasks showing your understanding of PIES development, the impact of factors and life events, and how people adapt to change. This is internally assessed coursework.

Component 2: Health and Social Care Services and Values

Understand the wide range of services available — from GP surgeries to social care settings — and what makes great care possible.

You will:

  • Learn how different services support individuals
  • Explore barriers people may face when accessing care and how these can be overcome
  • Develop knowledge of the essential skills, attributes and values care professionals must demonstrate

Assessment:
Another Pearson Set Assignment, this time with five tasks. You’ll show your understanding of how services meet people’s needs, how professionals show care values, and how these values help individuals overcome obstacles. This is also internally assessed coursework.

Component 3: Health and Wellbeing

Apply everything you’ve learned by exploring how different factors influence health.

You will:

  • Analyse scenarios and assess factors affecting health
  • Interpret physiological and lifestyle data
  • Make person-centred health recommendations
  • Evaluate challenges individuals may face when improving their health

Assessment:
This component is externally assessed by a 2-hour exam (60 marks), taken in January/February or May/June. Questions increase in difficulty and draw on knowledge from Components 1 and 2.

How You’ll Be Assessed

You’ll be assessed through a mix of coursework and one exam, giving you plenty of opportunities to show your strengths.

Non-Exam Internal Assessment (Components 1 & 2)

  • Assessed through Pearson Set Assignments completed in supervised conditions
  • Tasks include research, analysis, applying knowledge to case studies and demonstrating understanding of key concepts
  • Each component is worth 60 marks
  • Your work is marked by the department and moderated by Pearson
  • You’ll sign a declaration of authenticity — all work must be in your own words

If needed, your teacher may allow a resubmission to improve your grade, completed under supervision.

Exam Assessment (Component 3)

  • 2-hour written exam
  • Mix of scenario-based and knowledge questions
  • Focus on interpreting data, explaining health influences and making appropriate recommendations

Future Opportunities

Students often go on to:

  • Health and Social Care courses at Level 3
  • A-levels or further BTECs in related subjects
  • College pathways toward careers such as nursing, midwifery, paramedicine, social work, physiotherapy, youth work, counselling and more
  • Apprenticeships in health and care services
  • The course develops powerful transferable skills: communication, empathy, organisation, critical thinking, reflection and teamwork

Is This Course Right for You?

This course is ideal if you:

  • Enjoy working with people
  • Want to understand how individuals develop and how to support them
  • Prefer a mix of coursework and exam
  • Are interested in health, wellbeing, counselling, psychology or community work