BTEC/T level/other vocational 25/26

I wonder if they have big drop out rates?

I asked a number of different staff about numbers on DD's course at different times, and was told normally max of 16 students.

They have FORTY EIGHT!! Split into two groups of 24.

Not ideal as one of the reasons we went with this college was because of the smaller class size. If it turns out there aren't enough work stations for some lessons and they have to share I will be on the phone and going ballistic as there were very definite promises made on that front.

DD said most of the induction session was about how they are on 6 weeks probation and anyone not on top of things or with poor attendance will be out.

It is the kind of course that I suspect at first glance would look pretty easy and fun, and that once they realise just how much theory and complicated stuff there actually is it may well mean a lot of kids decide it's not actually for them.

Got her timetable...2.5 days per week
Self study/research the rest of the time

@SuperTrooper1111
Yes, a big city in another county

Is your DD's college in a city?

Sounds very like dds college

Gosh, I missed the bit about your other DS having an accident @Sisublondie! Glad to hear he's okay.

DD went in for her induction this morning. As agreed, I did the commute with her – her college is in a different borough to ours – which was fine. She was mildly terrified but when we got closer to the college and she could see other students looked as scared as her she calmed down! I've had a text saying it's good so far, so that's positive! Just hoping she can manage the commute home without spinning. Fortunately her college is near a busy high street with lots of shops so I think she'll calm herself having a browse before getting the train!

@Sisublondie I'm so sorry you're having a tough time with your DS. Is him speaking so disrespectfully to you a recent thing? Is it the stress of exams that's triggered it? My DD can be rude and sarcastic at times but she understands there's a limit to what I'll put up with.

Dds course number is larger than I thought and they will be split into 3 groups

@Sisublondie
Sorry to hear about your rough start 😔
Dd gets quite sarcastic with me which raises my hackles 😬
She'll say I've said something I haven't said which infuriates me 😡
She's off to her 2nd induction day.
Hoping she doesn't spiral over the weekend 🙏

Uh. Shitty start to the day with DS. Generally. Specifically, but not limited to…. Found out he’s opened the expensive padlock I bought him for his locker, saying “ decide before you open it, if you want this or one with keys”….🔐 and saying he wants the one with keys and “ why would you buy me this??”……Him yelling “ GET OUT”!!- apparently at the dogs, but….🤷‍♀️🙄.. I’m sure more me…….Discovering he has a list of clothing/stuff he needs to take today…..I cobble together most of it…….then he overhears me say to DH something about how he will need more food than a grenade bar and tells through his door “ WHY DO YOU GET A SAY IN THIS??!”……. 🤷‍♀️

…and then once he goes off to college, I’ll finishing laundry and packing (still have my fractured wrist 😖) for DS19 who is off to Edinburgh in the morning. At least he generally doesn’t shout at me. But he won’t even be around to do that after tomorrow, and I’ll no doubt wish he was here, screaming at me. Sorry! 😔 Rant over.

Hey ho. Hopefully everyone is having a more positive start to today 🌟.

Good Luck to today’s Induction or otherwise Starters! 🤞🙏🤞 🍀.. it’ll be great! 😊

@swampwitch0

Hey.. so sorry, been unexpectedly busy day not packing for Uni departure on Friday, as planned, but sorting yesterday out. Thank God he is physically ok, but he’s really shaken and his confidence shot ( he only passed his test recently), and his ( and DH’s!) car is now in heaven with my Dad! So trying to sort out replacement transport too. What a pain in the arse! 🙀🤯🙄🙀!

😹😹😹to putting off going downstairs to see how she is!! I literally did that about an hour ago, when I heard DS on the phone ( after I thought he was asleep at 10pm ish)…do I go in?! Or wait to see if he gets off.. ( his room is pitch black)... In the end, I was weighing up what to do, as getting late, and he didn’t seem to be getting off the phone, knock, go in……. He was all “ OMG! I have SO much energy to burn off and I’m doing that!! If I don’t burn it off on the phone, I’ll have to get up and go for a run!!”. So, do you know what I did? I just went “ yep, well, do whatever, I’m so tired and pissed off with it all, I just don’t care anymore and I’m going to bed!!!”.. ……..

Not heard a peep since!! I think I shocked him! Score! 😈

How was older DD pick up? Did she get goss?! You say it was more positive today! That’s really good news! But, just as importantly- I hope YOU are feeling more positive, too….? How were things today? Are you feeling any perkier? 🤞🙏🤞x

Dd's college has a canteen and coffee shop.
She went to starbucks and macdonalds today! (She's veggie, so she had a salad and a frappucino)
She's in 3 days a week so hopefully won't be too costly 😬

Hi all, can I join? I’ve got a daughter who’s joined a vocational course this week. One of only two girls in a class of 20. She’s a bit nervous about it. How is everyone dealing with food? At secondary we had a payment system and the food was pretty cheap in the canteen for lunch. Are kids bringing lunch or buying lunch? There’s a canteen at college but they can also leave and the college is in a city. I’m wondering about how much money per day seems reasonable.

How's your ds @Sisublondie?

Dd seems to have had a positive day

Great to hear 👍

Glad it went ok.
No word from dd.
Older dd picking her up so I won't see her til 4.30 ish

First "day" over for us. Went well. No uniform seems to be the main plus so far.

Dd's first year in college, having missed all y11, she phoned me every day at lunch for at least 20-30mins where i had to calm her and talk her down.

@Sallycinnamum
Oh, that's a tough one, I'm sorry x
Dd knows one person on her course who lives quite a distance away.
I genuinely habe no clue what today will bring.
Just hoping she doesn't do what she did wrt the 6th form and just say "nope!"
Hope your ds has a better day today x

@Sisublondie
What!?
Is ds ok???
You poor thing...you must be so shocked 😲
Really hope he (and you) are ok x
Re: dd...she's up. I'm in bed drinking tea and putting off going down to see how she is this morning 😔
How sad is that?...😔
Anyway.
I have so much to do today so that may keep my mind off dd. Older dd is picking her up later so I don't succumb to asking lots of questions of her I the car 😬
I've told her im not going to text her but she's welcome to text/phone me if she wants to.
Right!
Wish me luck...I'm going into the lions den downstairs!

I’m so sorry I haven’t checked in sooner ( DS19 has had car accident… you really couldn’t make stuff up, sometimes).

Oh, I’m so sorry that that was how today panned out. I’m really crap in those type of situations and my default is starting to tear up, which always makes a shitty situation far, far worse. I can understand how you must, literally, have felt, “ Are you f KIDDING ME?! SERIOUSLY?!”….. because I would have been a mixed up combo of upset, sad, stressed, feeling like it was clearly MY fault, that my DH was a total arse, DS hates me, everything I’ve done for him in his life, and certainly this year, has been a hotbed of a shit show and waste of time I won’t get back….., whilst I angrily tried to wipe away hot tears, before he looked up from his phone, noticed them, then absolutely snd utterly erupted….. all while he ( I am meaning your DD in this scenario : analogy!), is, literally, probably “ just” nervous and stressed and you, as DM/parent, gets it in the neck. Because, she knows, that she could be the most unbelievably cruel DC to you, but you would still wrap her up in a big hug and hold her tight, even if she hadn’t whispered “sorry”, if you knew that she’d let you to make her feel better…..

I am so sorry that you had such a shitty day. I hope you are fast asleep and I hope you wake, refreshed, ready to face what is a whole new day, one of hopefully smiles and laughter ( and maybe, just maybe you to get some acknowledgment of what a fab ass parent you are! Because, you really are!!!!!

Sending massive positive vibes 💕 🤗 x