Child Development and Health & Social Care

The curriculum is designed to enable all students, whatever their ability to progress in both their skills and their knowledge and understanding.  Work is differentiated to support students, with extension tasks for those who require more challenge.  All tasks can be adapted to make them suitable for individual and specific needs. Work at KS4 is done mostly independently but can be in groups when appropriate. Teaching methods are varied so as to engage and enthuse the pupils which leads to success for the subject.

Students are encouraged at KS4 to develop their skills and knowledge.  Guest speakers are invited where appropriate and external visits will be arranged if they tie in with the curriculum.  Examples are health visitors, nurses, and also exhibitions.

The baby and childcare industry exists worldwide and is a multi-billion industry which is ever evolving to keep up with new demands. Knowledge of childcare is also a useful life skill which is helpful for all.  It links very well with other jobs and careers which are also learnt in Child Development like teaching, childcare, nursery care, nursing, midwifery and social care.

Regular assessments and personalised feedback are crucial to our approach, ensuring all students know more, remember more, and do more, according to their individual learning needs. By adhering to these principles, we aim to ensure that every student can excel and thrive in Child Development, gaining a deeper understanding, retaining knowledge effectively, and applying it confidently. The course will be assessed internally (60%) and externally (40%).

At KS4 we offer OCR Cambridge National in Child Development as an option subject.  It contains two centre assessed units with practical task-based assessment opportunities, as well as an examined unit covering topics such as responsibilities of parenthood, contraception and reproduction, antenatal, health, delivery, postnatal checks, illnesses and child safety. This has resulted in a focused qualification which complements a Key Stage 4 study programme alongside other vocational qualifications and GCSEs. It builds upon skills and knowledge gained during KS3 such as Science – anatomy, conception and foetal development, medication and vaccinations, Mathematics – Apgar scores, gestation, BMI, height and weight-growth centiles and English – speech and language development, story time and reading.

The work covers every aspect of the development of the child, physical, intellectual, emotional and social within the framework of the family and the community. It allows a student to gain an informed understanding of adult responsibilities and roles towards children.