OCR Health and Social Care and Early Childhood Development

Applications Open: 3rd November 2025

Applications Close: 27th February 2026

Application Details: At Hartsdown Academy we run the International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme https://www.ibo.org/programmes/career-related-programme/ . Prospective students need to choose 1 Vocational Course (BTEC or OCR) and 2 IB Diploma Courses.

Entry Requirements: 5 x Grade 4-9 including Maths & English. A good attendance and behaviour record is also essential.

How to Apply: - Please apply via KentChoices

This is a new and exciting course which enables learners to develop and demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding to be able to engage in a broad investigation

of the children’s care and education sector (0-8 years) and progressing into the context of tailored health and social care, and childcare settings . Students will be prepared for future career paths by focusing on transferable skills throughout the course such as communicating and problem solving. While studying this course, students experience those real life contexts including work experience visits, trips to CCCU to their live suites and work with NHS workers serving the local community and local nurseries and schools. We work with Paramedics, local midwives, nursery workers and nurses.

This qualification is worth two A levels, a career subject, as part of the IBCP course. There are a number units in total that are studied over two years, all of which are mandatory. One unit we study requires you to do child care work placement for work experience.

Children’s Development

Keeping Children Safe

Play and Learning

Principles of health and social care - exam

Anatomy and physiology for health and social care - exam

Supporting people with mental health conditions - Coursework

Fundamentals of mental health and the individual

Mental health, wellbeing and society

Supporting and promoting mental health and wellbeing in organisations

Community-based support for mental health and wellbeing

Supporting mental health and wellbeing with outdoor and creative activities

Some are externally assessed units and others are NEA/coursework units.

Students must complete units, some are externally assessed units and others are NEA/coursework units

Five Level 2 qualifications (GCSE/BTEC) at Grade 4 or above (or L2 Pass in BTEC) with a 5 in English and Maths

The future opportunities in this sector are immense!This sector needs you! With the growing importance of the NHS, care settings and health environments, now is the time to consider your future opportunities, which in this sector are endless!

Healthcare assistant. Average Salary: £17,500.

Care worker. Average Salary: £18,750.

Social work assistant. Average Salary: £18,750.

Residential support worker. Average Salary: £22,000.

Senior care worker. Average Salary: £18,750.

Care home advocate. Average Salary: £24,000.

Nursing – BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing, Nursing – Child – BSc (Hons)

Teacher Training – Childhood and Early Years Studies BA (Hons)

Social Work – BA (Hons) Social Work

Health and Social Care - .BA (Honours)

Public Health and Wellbeing - BSc (Honours).

Healthcare and Health Science - BSc (Honours)

Adult psychotherapist.

Assistant psychologist.

Child and adolescent psychotherapist.

Children's wellbeing practitioner.

Clinical associate in psychology.

Clinical psychologist.

Counselling psychologist.