Health & Social Care

Welcome to the Alder Grange Health and Social Care department. We are a friendly department with fantastic new facilities. We pride ourselves on being able to give individualised support to meet our students’ needs. 

Course Details

There are 4 courses we offer here at the Alder Grange Sixth Form.

Subsidiary Diploma

If you are completing the level 3, you will be working towards the Subsidiary Diploma in Health and Social Care (equivalent to one A level carried out over one year). If you are studying the Subsidiary Diploma this will take up one third of your timetable and you will also be studying two other subjects, which may be A Levels or other BTEC subjects. You will complete six units, some of them compulsory, over two years and attend a work placement.

Diploma

The Diploma in Health and Social Care; this is equivalent to two A levels, two year course). If you are following the Diploma this will take up two thirds of your timetable and you will also be required to study one other subject, which again may be an A Level or BTEC. You will complete twelve units, some of them compulsory, over two years and attend a work placement.

Extended Diploma

The Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care (equivalent to three A levels, two year course). This is a nationally recognised qualification with which you can progress to employment or study further at university. If you are following the Extended Diploma this will mean your entire timetable will be Health and Social Care. You will complete eighteen units, some of them compulsory, over two years and attend a work placement.

We also offer the level 2 BTEC Award in Health and Social Care which can act as a bridge onto the level 3 or for those wishing to go onto an apprenticeship.
The BTEC qualifications have been developed in the health and social care sector to:

► provide education and training for health and social care employees

► give health and social care employees’ opportunities to achieve a nationally recognised level 3 and level 2 vocationally specified qualification

► give full-time learners the opportunity to enter employment in the health and social care sector or to progress to higher vocational qualifications and training

► give learners the opportunity to develop a range of skills and techniques, personal skills and attributes essential for successful performance in working life.

Your course will be divided up into teaching, supervised assignment writing and placement. You will be able to access the department resources and where possible use the department facilities during independent learning time. You will also receive support in obtaining placements and career progression along with help in putting together a professional portfolio, based on your work placement experiences.

Meet the staff

Mrs Sue Salt – has been teaching Health and Social Care for over 10 years. She has a BA (Hons) in Health Studies from Sheffield University. Mrs Salt has taught Level 1 to Level 3 qualifications in Health and Social Care in schools in Accrington and Manchester, and has also taught Higher Education courses at Burnley College before coming to Alder Grange.  Along with teaching she has also coordinated vocational education, young apprenticeships and sixth form provision.

Miss Gemma Sharp – has been teaching for 5 years and is qualified to teach both science and health and social care. She has a BSc (Hons) in Biology from UCLAN and a PGCE from Edge Hill University; she also has an advanced qualification in Health and Social Care. Prior to teaching she completed a year’s diploma in adult nursing and has worked at both Chorley Hospital and Royal Preston Hospital.