Course Overview

You need to be employed to start an Apprenticeship. Please visit our vacancy page or if you have an employer, please ensure you add full contact details of your employer within your application. If you are unable to secure employment, you could enrol on a full-time study programme and transfer to an Apprenticeship at a later date. Please apply for a full-time course as your second option.

The Higher Apprenticeship is an excellent natural route for those who have already undertaken an Intermediate or Advanced Apprenticeship. It’s a great opportunity to build on and develop skills and knowledge at a high level. It will provide a range of transferrable skills to enable learners to identify ways to innovate and provide high quality care.

The Higher Apprenticeship was designed following extensive consultation with social care employers. It is for those in a managerial or business development role in adult social care, or for those who require a high level of knowledge or specific specialism.

This qualification is for those already working in the social care sector. Learners must be in a managerial position or role to meet the knowledge and learning outcomes as no role play or simulations can be used for this award.

From 1 September 2014 this 90 credits qualification is the required component for learners registered on the Higher Apprenticeship in Care Leadership and Management (England only). It can also be accessed as a stand-alone Diploma.

The wide ranging Diploma covers the skills and knowledge needed to work and develop knowledge in a wide range of work-based settings. It is flexible to suit all fields across the health and social care sector.

The qualification only applies to jobs in adult social care, and has two pathways; a general pathway and a specialist pathway.

Learners will gain sector recognised qualifications and develop specialist skills whilst working alongside experienced peers in the workplace. The Higher Apprenticeship in Care Leadership and Management (England) is a mix of skills development and knowledge and combines work-based learning with the potential for further work related study at university.

• General Pathway: the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services – a combined competence and knowledge qualification
• Specialist Pathway: a Level 5 university Diploma. The university Diploma incorporates the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services and further university modules on areas related to the learner’s job role

Click here to view the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education Standard for this course.

Assessment Methods

• Direct observation
• Oral questioning
• Case studies
• Assignments
• Projects

Progression Options

The Higher Apprenticeship offers career progression routes into more senior roles and further academic study at university.

For those who would like to advance further in their career, they may want to take a further qualification or singular unit credits that can help them work in a specialised area.