Health and Social Care (single Award) at Fulston

Applications Open: - Friday 14 November 2025

Applications Close: - 13 February 2026. Applications may be considered after this date but it is strongly advised to apply before this deadline.

Entry Requirements: - Admission to courses - This is based on your needs and staff advice, but you should be aware of these points: 1. You will need to obtain a minimum of six GCSE passes at Level 5 or above including Mathematics and English (a minimum of a grade 5 in the reformed GCSE qualifications in English and Mathematics) and grades 9-6 in their preferred A-Level subjects or nearest equivalents. 2. Subjects have clear entry requirements. You will find these under the course details or from Subject Heads.

How to Apply: - Please apply via KentChoices (Internal and External Students)

External Applicants - please click here (This form is for external candidates and parents/carers to book a slot to ask any questions about the admissions process and Sixth Form at Highsted Grammar School). Please be aware that it is first come, first served. We will try our best to accommodate your preferences but this might not always be possible).

Internal candidates - should contact their Head of Year directly.

WHY TAKE THIS COURSE?

Health and Social Care is a very popular vocational area with a wide range of opportunities for young people who have a caring nature. There is a huge demand for well qualified care professionals in society and demographic factors indicate that this demand will continue to grow.

Some of these careers are in the following fields:

Medical – nursing, midwifery, imaging technician, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

Early Years Education – pre-school carer, nursery carer, infant and lower junior school teacher.

Social Work – residential care worker, community care worker.

Many of our former students have progressed to higher education courses and others have embarked on health and social careers upon leaving the Sixth Form. Subjects that particularly complement Health and Social Care at Advanced Level are Sociology, Psychology, Human Biology and Sports Studies.

AIMS OF THE COURSE

To equip students with a broad range of relevant skills for care occupations.

To provide students with work-related learning opportunities in local care settings.

To develop students’ knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues within the core field.  To enable students to gain an understanding of client’s needs.

Extended Certificate (equivalent to 1 A Level)

Human lifespan development

Working in Health and Social Care

Meeting Individual Care and Support Needs

Supporting Individuals with Additional Needs

Takes place via a combination of centre-assessed coursework and external examinations. Units have differing weightings towards the final grade.

To be accepted onto this course a student should have at least 5 GCSEs at grades 9 - 5 (or equivalent). Strong essay writing skills are very advantageous and students would be expected to have a GCSE of at least a grade 5 in English Language. Students should be skilled independent workers because of the large amount of coursework involved in this course.

Some of these careers are in the following fields: Medical – nursing, midwifery, imaging technician, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Early Years Education – pre-school carer, nursery carer, infant and lower junior school teacher. Social Work – residential care worker, community care worker. Many of our former students have progressed to higher education courses and others have embarked on health and social careers upon leaving the Sixth Form. Subjects that particularly complement Health and Social Care at Advanced level are Sociology, Psychology, Human Biology and Sports Studies