BTEC/T level/other vocational 25/26

DD has always been in for 4 days due to maths and english, but some of those days have finished at eg 2.20. I know they do run some groups of level 2 courses on 3 full days if no resits required. Some gaps in timetable. On her level 1 and 2 courses there has been some class time for assignments, with level2 requiring more work at home.

Thanks everyone. That sounds reassuring then. She received a sheet with her induction times and what to bring and we sat down with staff who inputted everything on the computer. Fingers crossed it's just the college completing the week before sending confirmation out.

We had 3 separate emails checking she was definitely accepting her offer before results day; then one saying enrolment was now on results day (having said it wasn't at both the Open Day, and the New Starter Day).

We've been to enrolment, have a log in to the online portal (not much on there yet), but haven't had an email confirmation yet... and this thread has just made me realise I should have probably chased that up!

I did some upside-down reading at enrolment so we are pretty sure we know which days she is in... but no idea of times yet. Term starts on the 8th, but next week is apparently induction.

Personally I am looking forward to getting some peace and quiet... lovely as it has been to have her at home, I am sooooo ready for term time.

@TheFunSponge My DD got her lanyard when she enroled and also a booklet that had a QR code on it – when she tried it yesterday, it had details of her induction day on Thursday.

I've had an email from school re: possible re mark for drama.
Dds not too bothered either way.
I'm keen to know what days she's going to be in college, but we won't know until next Wednesday.

Also waiting for enrolment. Term doesn't start until next Wednesday (he's likely not in then anyway as it's traditionally the day for maths/english resits) but we'd love a timetable.
Went through this two years ago with DS1, think the college is sorting stuff out right until the 11th hour.
(My only worry, as DS did all the enrolment himself is that he's forgotten to tick some box accepting a place)

Dd got her lanyard and induction days info
She then got an email yesterday to confirm and agree to their t&cs

There's so much useful info on this thread. Thank you to all of you who have been through it before and given us useful tips. My daughter enrolled on results day but apart from her lanyard being used on the day, we have received no communication since. Should we have received a confirmation email to confirm her course in writing? Or do they wait until the end of this week? She starts on Monday.

I'm going to print this off to keep! Thanks @TeenToTwenties – your input on this thread has been invaluable.

Hey, I’ve no idea what happened with my earlier reply ..

I am so so sorry you have both been put through a needless and wholly unacceptable traumatic time enrolling. I echo @SuperTrooper1111, and I’m afraid the lawyer part of me would mix with the furious parent part and I would absolutely be making a formal complaint asap.

There is a reason establishments who behave in such an appalling way get named and shamed on social media by livid parents…. I’m not a poster on instagram or FB, but I have friends who would be all over this. Precisely what message it sends out to students like your DD who have worked hard to gain their places and are so excited to enrol, baffles me!

Sorry to rant! 🙄 . I really hope your DD flourishes on the course she is now enrolled on, and this memory fades and it turns out to be an unexpected change for the best 🤞💕🤞…

@MamaElephantMama

Just posted a long one to you, just checking its posted as was glitching…..

@TeenToTwenties
💕

@TeenToTwenties

I’m so sorry to hear about your DM… sending positive thoughts and 🙏💕……x

Just catching up, seem to have missed a lot since last night!

Need to read in full, but on skimming, looks like a huge 🙏 to those who have set out how we ( ND/SEN parent) and DC need to be on top of this from the start. I have no idea if DS knows this, but, given exams clearly were a stress I never want either of us to revisit…..🤷‍♀️🙀🙄🤯…

Does anyone have any experience of Level 3 Public Services ? DS chose it, he wants to go into policing.
I have tried to find any spec since @swampwitch0 kindly gave a heads up! Getting mixed with Uniformed and Protective Services spec at Pearson. Complicated by fact, that at enrolment the sign said “ Uniformed and P…. “SOMETHING”.. Services ( on a normal day, I’d have registered it, but was trying to keep it together for DS, so only remember a glimpse).

Anyway! Public Services.. does anyone have any experiences, please? I think I’ve googled all I can and panic is bubbling! Thanks in advance🤞🙏!

Re managing assignments.

We kept an ongoing paper list with
Unit name, due date, topic, and progress.
Eg 3/14 questions estimate 5 more hours to complete. Plan do in class, finish next weekend. (Or. Need help / need more teaching etc)

We went through the list every weekend and DD took more and more 'ownership' of knowing status, scheduling etc.

Ticked off when submitted but stayed on list until passed in case resubmit needed.

I know it’s hard when they say a 4 at science isn’t high enough and they shouldn’t have given false promises. However is it kinder to start off lower and build them up than fail year 1 because they find themselves quickly out of depth. Having had a teen who just scraped into A levels and nearly failed at AS level it’s been really hard to keep her confidence and self belief going. Yes she did pass in the end but in hindsight she would have been better suited to a different path.

@MamaElephantMama Is there anything in the small print on the college's website that says they can blithely change the criteria on the day? I think this is one of those times when I would be That Parent!

Actually, I think what they've done to your DD is outrageous. She's passed the course requirements as advertised. If she needed higher than a four, they should have stipulated that. I think I would have to lodge a complaint.

DD's reaction was the same - shock, then tears. She had been sent an offer that stated she only needed to pass maths and/or English, which she did. But they said she also needed a 4 in a science - she got 3s, unfortunately – and the offer had been sent out mistakenly. So it wasn't that they decided she couldn't take it, she didn't meet the criteria. Now she's really happy doing Level 2. It's the equivalent of 4 GCSEs and includes animal biology, so it will bolster her future job prospects and she'll got up to Level 3 after a year.

If I was in your situation I'd be far angrier because they've moved the goalposts.

Thank you for the replies.

They’ve offered her a level 3 course instead of the T Level but it was a shock. She was so excited and ended up in tears.

She needed 4s and got a 4 in a science, she passed her maths and English lit/lang at a grade 6 so we didn’t expect any problems.

Apparently there is a big science exam at the end of year 1 that they don’t think she would pass (How to kill a child’s confidence!!). I feel like contacting them and asking about the requirements as she wasn’t the only one turned away.

@SuperTrooper1111 How did your DC feel about that? Did they end up changing courses?

I'm sorry to hear that @MamaElephantMama
Can you request a meeting with the course leader/convenor?
They can't just not follow their own entry requirements as stated...

Sorry to hear that, we had a similar situation at enrolment, also because of science! What have they offered instead?

@TeenToTwenties Thank you so much for the info, that's so helpful! I'm sorry to hear about your mum. I hope it's not serious.