Level 3 Extended Certificate AAQ Health and Social Care

This course is designed to appeal to students who have an interest in learning about factors that affect human development from birth through to old age. The course also aims to develop students’ understanding of psychological and sociological explanations of behaviour as well as theories about effective communication. Students should be interested in learning how to use these theories and concepts in health, social care or early years’ settings.

You will also learn the laws and actions necessary to promote equality, rights and safety in the workplace. There may be an opportunity to focus your coursework and research project on an age group or client group that particularly interests you e.g. children.

The Extended Certificate AAQ (Alternative Academic Qualification) is equivalent to 1 A Level. It is completed over 2 years.

This course might also appeal to students who have an interest in Psychology but do not have a strong Science or Maths GCSE background.

Learning is further enhanced because students are offered the opportunity to meet and interview a range of practicing health professionals to gain an insight into job roles and day to day tasks.

The qualification is assessed using external assessments 2 exams and 2 Internal assessments as it is split 50/50 between exams and coursework

Unit 1 Human lifespan development (external assessment)

Unit 2 Human Health and Biology (external assessment)

Unit 3 Principles of health and social care practice (internal assessment)

And one additional optional unit

Unit 4 Health, policy and wellbeing

Unit 5 Promoting Health education

Unit 6 Safe environments in health and social care

Or Unit 7 Health science

5 GCSEs at Grade 4 required including English Language and maths

Health and Social Care courses give a good foundation for working with vulnerable people. Careers past students have progressed on to include Nursing, Midwifery, Counselling and job roles in the NHS, Health Promotion, Teaching and Educational Support work, Social Work, Probation and Police, Youth and Community Work, Nursery Nursing and Child Care.