Overview

Vocational Education courses are offered to students for the first time in Year 10.  Students are able to take either single or double Business or Health and Social Care as a BTEC Certificate or Diploma.  The BTEC Certificate is the equivalent of two GCSE grades and the BTEC Diploma is the equivalent of four grades at GCSE. The courses cover a wide range of topics all of which are studied from the vocational viewpoint.  In addition students will be able to improve their communication skills, enterprise skills and presentation skills.  The assessment is through 100% coursework over two years.

Business and Health and Social Care are offered in KS4 at two levels; Level 1 - BTEC Introductory Certificate/Diploma and Level 2 BTEC First Certificate/Diploma.  Students are allocated to appropriate groups on the basis of their KS3 SATs results.

In KS5 we offer Business and Health and Social Care as a BTEC National Award or Certificate.  The BTEC National Award is the equivalent of one ‘A' level grade; the BTEC National Certificate has an equivalency of two grades at ‘A' level.  The courses cover topics from BTEC First in greater depth as well as adding new topics.  Students are required to have a minimum of 5 A*-C grades at GCSE or a Merit in BTEC First in order to be accepted onto this course.  The courses are assessed 100% through coursework units and last two years.

Year 12 students also have the opportunity to study BTEC First Diploma in either Business or Health and Social Care over one year.  This is useful progression route onto Level 3 courses such as AS levels and BTEC National courses.