A levels or BTEC

My daughter did triple btech... I was told I was wrong ‘allowing’ her to do them... she is now doing an honours degree and was way ahead of her peers on admission to uni...

I know two locals who went to the local F.E college to do performing arts btec, they both then went to a performing arts college and completed a degree level course. One is now performing in the west end, the other is a dancer on a cruise ship. I know someone else who makes a decent living touring around holiday parks as a singer. You don't necessarily have to be leading in the west end to make a living out of it, so it depends how good she is? Could you see her making any kind of living at it?

dcs know 3 people who have been through Btec performing arts at local college. All had middling gcses (3/4/5s) or c/ds in old money with the odd A thrown in ( generally for music/ singing gcse) . All 3 have gone on to higher education courses. None have finished yet though so I don’t know what they plan to do after.

If you go to a proper stage school, they have agents and opportunities for professional performance. Colleges really struggle to be as good. So for me it would be stage school or not at all. A levels are broader and she can do musical theatre exams and dance exams as extras.

PA is not going to result in employment.

Thats not entirely true. I know the young man who Pearson (Btec) used for one of their marketing campaign video things and he is currently touring the country as a leading man in a musical after a stint in several west end shows. But he was studying a Btec on a course with high entry standards run by a specialist dance school.

A levels.

What would she do with a BTec in performing arts? BTecs shouldn't be looked down on eg business, healthcare, childcare as there are employment options at the end but PA is not going to result in employment.

A friend of ds is doing a "triple" BTEC in healthcare - I think that's fine as healthcare is quite wide ranging and she has good supporting GCSEs.

A business BTEC would probably also keep quite a few options open.

When ds was making his choices he looked at a (single) level 3 diploma in criminology and was quite keen but then I saw that it could only really be used to apply for law and criminology courses, despite being touted as being equivalent to an A level. So even a single could be quite limiting if you aren't sure you want to stay in that field (which he wasn't, he just enjoyed a taster lesson).

So I think you are right to be concerned - is there a single version of it that she could do two A levels alongside?

My dd is almost 18 and studying musical theatre but she is doing a couple of A levels alongside.

I personally think there are too many of these btec courses. It is an excellent qualification for those who have the ability to go onto professional training but in general the FE colleges are not able to cater for this level. The best courses are ones run by specialist institutions (such as the one my dd is at.) The kids there on the whole already have dance/singing qualificationos equivalent to A level or diploma (dd took her Level 3 Intermediate ballet, tap and modern aged 14), Grade 8 LAMDA age 16 and her Advanced 1 tap aged 17 (equivalent to 1st year degree level).She has known she wants to be a professional performer since the age of 10.

Saying that A levels are not suitable for everyone and someone who is average to good academically may well be better advised to go the Btec route.

Ds will be applying for a Btec in Music Technology (he is in year 11.) Although he is bright he struggles with certain aspects due to autism and A levels would not be appropriate for him. But again, music is not only his "passion" it's his reason for being. He quite simply works on his music from dawn til dusk apart from when he is at school and he already has ideas of a career path (composing, arranging MDing and making backing/rehearsal tracks). The Btec will be fantastic for him.

A-levels are the way to go Imo.
Personally I think it allows more future options.
I wouldn't advise my DC to put all their eggs in one Btec basket- if that makes sense.

What DD did was choose different colleges with different career paths so she realistically had till results day to make her choice. Her friend is doing a BTEC in drama and two a levels one in media studies and another in history. She would like to go to university for film/drama/media but could still change to other paths if wanted.

What are her other strong subjects? Some sixth forms will let you do a mix, so one BTEC worth one A level and two A levels, for example. That would give her a 'broader' base and more uni courses or jobs available?