Curriculum Intent Statement

Pearson has developed the content of the new BTEC Nationals in collaboration with employers and representatives from higher education and relevant professional bodies. In this way, we have ensured that content is up to date and that it includes the knowledge, understanding, skills and attributes required in the sector. The mandatory and optional content provides a balance of breadth and depth, while retaining a degree of choice for individual learners at Stamford College to study content relevant to their own interests and progression choices. Also, the content may be applied during delivery in a way that is relevant to local employment needs. We work with a range of employers. The proportion of mandatory content ensures that all learners are following a coherent programme of study and acquiring the knowledge, understanding and skills that will be recognised and valued.

Learners are expected to show achievement across mandatory units. This Sport Science Programme always requires applied learning that brings together knowledge and understanding (the cognitive domain) with practical and technical skills (the psychomotor domain). This is achieved through learners performing vocational tasks that encourage the development of appropriate vocational behaviours (the affective domain) and transferable skills. Transferable skills are those such as communication, teamwork, research and analysis, which are valued in both higher education and the workplace. Stamford College's approach provides rigour and balance, and promotes the ability to apply learning immediately in new contexts.

The Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science is intended to be an Applied General qualification. It is for post-16 learners who want to continue their education through applied learning, and who aim to progress to higher education and ultimately to employment, possibly in the sport and exercise science sector. The qualification is wide-ranging and equivalent in size to three A Levels, and has been designed as a full two-year study programme. Learners who wish to take this qualification will have successfully completed a Level 2 programme of study with GCSEs and potentially some vocational qualifications.

This qualification is primarily designed to support progression to employment after further study at university. However, it also supports learners who may choose to progress directly to employment, as the transferable knowledge, understanding and skills will give learners an advantage in applying for entry level roles or ‘school leaver’ industry training programmes and Higher Apprenticeships in areas such as sport and fitness training, coaching, and sports performance research. In addition to the sector-specific content, the requirements of the qualification will mean that learners develop the transferable and higher order skills which are valued by higher education providers and employers. For example, the study of applied research methods and the research project require learners to carry out individual research and to give evidence in a sport science context, evaluating and justifying their findings.

The qualification is intended to carries UCAS points and is recognised by higher education providers as meeting admission requirements for many relevant courses, for example:

• BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science

• BSc (Hons) in Sport Science

• BSc (Hons) in Sport and Coaching Studies.

Learners should always check the entry requirements for degree programmes with specific higher education providers. After this qualification, learners can also progress directly into employment, however it is likely that many will do so via higher study. Areas of employment include entry level roles in sport and fitness training, coaching, and sports performance research. As part of their higher study choices, learners may also choose to progress to a BTEC Higher National (HN) qualification. HNs are widely supported by higher education and industry as the principal vocational qualifications at Levels 4 and 5 and are designed to reflect the increasing need for high quality professional and technical education at Levels 4 and 5.

They provide learners with a clear line of sight to employment and to a degree at Level 6 if they choose. The Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science meets the admission requirements for:

• Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Sport & Exercise Science

• Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Sport & Exercise Science (Coaching Science)

• Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Sport & Exercise Science (Exercise, Health & Lifestyle).

How does the qualification provide employability skills? In the BTEC National units there are opportunities during the teaching and learning phase to give learners practice in developing employability skills.

Where employability skills are referred to in this specification, we are generally referring to skills in the following three main categories:

• cognitive and problem-solving skills: use critical thinking, approach non-routine problems applying expert and creative solutions, use systems and technology

• intrapersonal skills: communicating, working collaboratively, negotiating and influencing, self-presentation

• interpersonal skills: self-management, adaptability and resilience, self-monitoring and development.