BCU Sixth Form Pathways
Join Shireland Biomedical UTC, the perfect stepping stone for aspiring healthcare professionals and life scientists. Our health-focused sixth form offers specialised courses, expert teaching, and hands-on experience to prepare you for exciting careers in medicine, including nursing, physiotherapy, paramedical care, midwifery and beyond. Our unique links to the health industry and partnership with Birmingham City University will ensure that you stand out in a crowd when putting your Post 18 applications together providing you with the best possible chance of success.
Students on this pathway will study AAQ Medical Science (Extended Certificate) and AAQ Health and Social Care (Extended Certificate) alongside one other qualification chosen from a list of options. An AAQ Extended Certificate is the equivalent of one A level.
As a Shireland Biomedical UTC student you will have:
- Opportunities to complete the Emergency First Aid at Work qualification with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.
- CPR training facilitated by the British Heart Foundation and Midlands Air Ambulance.
- Opportunities to build employability skills through our unique access to work placements at various health-centred organisations including Midlands Air Ambulance, West Midlands Ambulance and St Johns Ambulance.
- Support in submitting applications for the BCU scholarship programme.
- Guest speakers and career talks from various universities and employers within the health industry.
- Practical workshops delivered by Midlands Air Ambulance on nursing and paramedicine.
- Opportunities to attend the Helicopter Emergency Medicine (HEMS) awareness sessions.
- Opportunities to attend the Air Ambulance National Student Conference.
- A visit to the NEC Care Show.
- Priority opportunities to experience clinical skills facilities at Birmingham City University
- Guaranteed interviews at Birmingham City University
Compulsory subjects
AAQ Medical Science (Extended Certificate)
Course Overview:
- Accredited by Pearson Education
- Qualification gained will be Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification BTEC National in Medical Science (Extended Certificate)
- Assessment will be via exam and coursework
- The course is modular so some assessments will take place in the first year and count towards your final grade
- The course includes specified practical work that must be completed by learners to enable completion of some modules and to fully prepare students for exams
- Skills in mathematics, critical thinking, and practical work will be essential
Course Content:
The qualification has three mandatory units covering the following topics:
- Human Physiology, Anatomy and Pathology − Human body systems, cell ultrastructure, and how substances are transported
- Health Issues and Scientific Reporting − The immune system, its dysfunction and genetic technologies. The validity and reliability of information used in health science reporting
- Practical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases − Methods of pathogenicity and infectious agents, growth of microorganisms and health and safety in a laboratory environment.
Students have a choice of three optional units covering the following topics:
- Diseases, Disorders, Treatments and Therapies − Principles of physiological diseases and disorders and their associated drug and medicine development
- Biomedical Science − Biomedical science techniques and their clinical application
- Human Reproduction and Fertility − Reproductive science including causes of infertility and associated impacts on health and well-being
| Unit Number | Unit Title | GLH (360) | How it is assessed |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | Principles of Human Physiology, Anatomy and Pathology | 90 | External |
| M2 | Health Issues and Scientific Reporting | 120 | External |
| M4 | Practical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases | 90 | Internal |
| O1 | Diseases, Disorders, Treatments and Therapies | 60 | Internal |
| O2 | Biomedical Science | 60 | Internal |
| O3 | Human Reproduction and Fertility | 60 | Internal |
AAQ Health and Social Care (Extended Certificate)
Course Overview:
- Accredited by Pearson Education
- Qualification gained will be Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification BTEC National in Health and Social Care (Extended Certificate)
- Assessment will be via exam and coursework
- The course is modular so some assessments will take place in the first year and count towards your final grade
- Students will develop professional values and skills expected of professionals, including communication and listening skills.
- Students will develop cultural and social intelligence when working with individuals across the lifespan with different needs, alongside methods of managing challenging situations
Course Content:
The qualification has three mandatory units covering the following topics:
- Human Lifespan and Development – PIES and factors affecting growth and development, interventions and the different professionals providing care and treatment
- Human Biology and Health – Human body structure and systems, normal physiological functioning and the impact of common disorders
- Health and Social Care Practice – Core principles, values and legislation that underpin and influence health and social care, and the effect of social determinants on an individual health status
Students have a choice from four optional units covering the following topics:
- Health, Social Policy and Wellbeing – Public health policy and its influences, including health-related organisations/groups and a range of strategic factors
- Promoting Health Education – Health education, its purpose and use of different approaches and models to achieve positive health outcomes
- Safe Environments in Health and Social Care – Appropriate provisions in services relevant to different needs; governance relating to safe environments
- Health Science – Types of infections and their potential impact on a local, national and international scale
| Unit Number | Unit Title | GLH (360) | How it is assessed |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | Human Lifespan and Development | 90 | External |
| M2 | Human Biology and Health | 90 | External |
| M3 | Principles of Health and Social Care Practice | 90 | Internal |
| O1 | Health, Policy and Wellbeing | 90 | Internal |
| O2 | Promoting Health Education | 90 | Internal |
| O3 | Safe Environments in Health and Social Care | 90 | Internal |
| O4 | Health Science | 90 | Internal |
What is AAQ?
AAQ is a Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification and provides a BTEC National in the course choice. It is accredited by Pearson Education; it is the equivalent of one A level. Assessment is via exam and coursework
Optional subject
You will also need to choose 1 additional qualification from this list:
- Maths (requires GCSE grade 6)
- Biology (requires GCSE grade 6)
- Chemistry (requires GCSE grade 6)
- Physics (requires GCSE grade 6)
- Health and Social Care
- Sociology
- Psychology
- History
- English
- Art
- Drama
- Music
- Sound Engineering
- Computer Science
