GCSE Health and Social Care, and Childcare
This is a writing-heavy GCSE: learners read unseen case studies, apply care-sector terminology and write reasoned judgements across two 12-hour NEAs and an examination with extended answers. Numeracy is limited to one area of Unit 1, reading physiological measurements and interpreting wellbeing statistics, surveys and lifestyle data. The biggest thing Key Stage 3 can build is confident reading of a short case study followed by an organised, evaluative written response that uses the right terms.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Level 1 and Level 2
- First taught
- September 2026
- Amount of literacy work
- High
- Amount of numeracy work
- Low
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this qualification is assessed
- Unit 1: Health and Social Care, and Childcare in Wales in the 21st Century: Written examination 1 hour 30 minutes, 40%
- Unit 2: Adult Health and Social Care: Non-examination assessment 12 hours (choice of case studies), 30%
- Unit 3: Childcare: Non-examination assessment 12 hours (case study and investigation), 30%
Skills that use Collecting data
-
Using surveys and questionnaires
Surveys and questionnaires are named as wellbeing indicators, so learners should know how such data is collected and what it can and cannot show.
Numeracy: Collecting data, Representing data
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils ask classmates how many hours they slept last night and record the answers in a tally chart.
- Year 8
- Pupils write five clear questions for a survey on screen time and wellbeing, including one open question and one tick box question.
- Year 9
- Pupils design a short questionnaire on healthy lifestyles with a stated hypothesis, collect responses from their year group and discuss any bias in the sample.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit 1, Section 1.3.1, page 16
“surveys and questionnaires”
Progression step 3
I can collect relevant data to answer posed questions.
I can represent data using:
- lists, tally charts, tables, diagrams and frequency tables
- bar charts, grouped data charts, line graphs and conversion graphs
- pictograms where one symbol represents more than one unit using a key
- Venn and Carroll diagrams.
Progression step 4
I can collect own data for a survey, e.g. through designing a questionnaire.
I can collect both quantitative and qualitative data.
Progression step 5
I can collect data in a suitable way according to my hypothesis.
Good to know
- The specification awards no separate marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar and says nothing about calculators; assessment detail is left to the Assessment Pack: "The Assessment Pack will include all detailed information relating to assessment." (page 33).
- Unit 1 is a written examination with extended answers: "Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes" (page 4).
- Both NEAs are 12 hours and must be submitted digitally: "Assessments must be submitted digitally." (page 34).
- Case studies are unseen until the assessment starts, so reading skills cannot be rehearsed on the actual text: "Learners should not have access to the case studies or tasks until the start of the assessment." (page 34).
- Evaluation is heavily weighted: AO3, "Investigate, analyse, and evaluate values, issues and provision in health and social care, and childcare, making reasoned judgements and drawing conclusions.", is 30% of the qualification (page 33).
Links with other qualifications
Pulse and heart rate work overlaps with fitness testing in Physical Education and Health, and wellbeing statistics link to data handling in Mathematics and Numeracy and Geography.
Source: WJEC GCSE Health and Social Care, and Childcare specification, teaching from 2026, for award from 2028 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2025).