BTEC/T level/other vocational 25/26

I have very little time for Gove's actions whilst Education secretary.
Our young people are now reaping the bitter harvest of his ridiculous ideas.

Tutor said the Level 3 that DD could do at this stage having not passed science was definitely worth two only A-levels. DD"s now doing a year at Level 2 to get her GCSE equivalents.

Yes it is. Unfortunately there's a snobbery about 1-3 passes and anything below 4 isn't taken as seriously.

But 1-3 IS a pass...

About time imo

The straight Diploma is two, Extended Cert is a weird halfway house one. Or at least it is in the subjects I course manage. You can check for yourself in the specification, if the qual gets a single grade then it's considered equivalent to one A level (even if the guided learning hours are more like 1.5) and if it's a double grade (e.g. Pass Pass) then it's two.

@Sisublondie functional skills English is 3 parts, that can be taken and passed separately until all achieved.

Just saw that! Papers are also reporting Govt is now considered scrapping compulsory resits in maths and English.

Yes, it was extended certificate they offered, which tutor told us was equivalent to two A-levels.

The course/path is irrelevant though, isn't it? Virtually all employers in any field would want you to have maths and English passes.

Extended Diploma is equivalent to three A levels. Extended Certificate is roughly one and a half. Do check the actual qualification name!

English amd maths passes lowest since 2013...

...I got a B in English and As in history and communication studies and law, along with Cs for the rest.
I actually got U for maths.
As did my sister - who now works in Finance 😃

@Sisublondie
I think the DfE have to do something about post 16 maths and english entry requirements/expectations.
Its crippling post 16 provision (where I live, anyway...)
Imo if you've got a young person who has maths and English FS to do a vocational qualification, that should be acceptable.
Some kids, no matter how hard working or well supported, will never be able to achieve a 4 at gcse in English and/or maths.
I have dyscalcula. No teacher - no matter how good, and no matter how hard I worked - could get me to a grade 4.
It's ridiculous to keep putting kids through these hoops.
My dh has a cousin whose dd has taken English re sit 6 times. Gets a 3 each time.
Its had a terrible effect on her wellbeing/self esteem.

There was a really interesting article on the front page of The Times on Friday.. “ GCSE reform aims to draw a line under endless resits”….

My friend’s DS has just received a 3 in English, but has already passed the Functional Skills…. Her description of how it is taken (can’t remember specifics, six parts? “Each broken down into parts, so he only had to remember certain amount at a time”), sounds preferable, in a lot of ways, for many students, ND or not…. in my opinion!

Entirely depends on the course/path

@Sisublondie So sorry to hear your DS is struggling in the aftermath of results day. It's so hard when they didn't get ther results they wanted or expected. Did you meet with his college's ALS team when he enrolled? With the six-week trial in mind, it's probably wise to flag up now how that he's hit a post-results slump so that accommodations can be made and his tutors don't mistake it for him not being engaged. We found the one at DD's college enormously helpful.

It's not common sense to let your DC progress in education without passes in English and maths though. It's all very well colleges saying oh let's just sneak you in, it doesn't matter, but it will hamper their future job prospects. I was initially upset when my DC's college said she had to start at Level 2 because she didn't get a science pass but now I'm grateful - the diploma will give her the equivalent of four more GCSE passes, including animal biology, putting her in a far stronger position when it comes to applying for jobs in her sector.

Sisublonde. I'm sorry to hear about your DS experience and now not excited re 6th from/college

My DS17 who has ADHD hated his secondary school apart from a couple of teachers who "got him ", was bullied, headmaster was quick to tell him he wasn't good enough for the 6th form - anyhow he started last Sept at a 6th form over an hour away (could have gone to a more local college but preferred 6th form offering in terms of his BTEC) and knew no one else going there .

I was worried - but he loves it - he is enthusiastic about going in , loves the subject , teacher is great - he is doing well - he has had 3 negative incidents over the entire first year which are very minor notes - in secondary he would get more than that a week & usually a detention a week (for not having shirt tucked in, for looking out the window, for talking , for leaving blazer off in 30 degree heat , etc etc

The 3 negative minor notes were for not wearing his lanyard .

He is very happy there and has made friends and a girlfriend - it's the right fit for him and I hope your DS gets the sane

It does vary by college what they will accept. Some will let you start L3 but you have to resit maths and / or English.

Some put you on a Level 2 course.

A college with a good reputation can be pickier about their minimum requirements.

A college wanting 'bums on seats' can't be as picky.

BTW the resit class for maths (not my subject but I have taught it) is very different to school. My all time favourite moments are when you see the penny drop with a student, or they say, "Oh I understand that, I never understood it at school"

.. I forgot to add, he had to do a year long course alongside, to retake English!

My DS passed Maths but is having his English remarked. He has been allowed onto his Level 3 course on a provisional 6 week trial. And I’m terrified as he’s barely spoken since the results, and he will only listen about the importance to DS18 who starts Edinburgh on the 4th. He is ASD/AHD, has epilepsy, and has had an horrific schooling with relentless bullying, and is, basically, a shell of who he was when he was 10. He was so excited and happy at the prospect of new college, new people and college environment. He has, however, been shaken by his not great results and isn’t one to talk about his feelings anyway ( except sometimes at 2am, when he wants midnight snack food and a chat 😺). He has got into a sleep pattern like a lot of DS.., bed early hours, up just now. His induction starts 1 September. There is a lot to sort out.

Any attempt by me ( or DH) to try to talk about how this is his last opportunity at further education is brushed off. I’m worried as he has absence seizures too, but sometimes not known whether it’s an ADHD “ zoning out”, and he falls asleep ( when at school, he has good sleeping patterns) randomly ( his Ambulatory EEGs record his seizures, but jury still been open on a diagnosis of narcolepsy for years)…. Plus, as I said, he’s been horribly withdrawn since the results..

Anyway, seem to be a lot of us on here, with colleges accepting different things re Maths and English 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

I've taught BTEC for quite a few years. @TeenToTwenties is right about the needing all pass, merit and distinction criteria to get a distinction.

If you get 2 out of 3 pass, all merit and all distinction you actually fail that assignment, well we tend to call it not yet complete.

Different colleges allow resits in different ways, my favourite way was 'grade up week'.

In grade up week you have to come in and complete any assignments that are outstanding. There is no timetable so staff are available to give 1-1 support.

If you have got pass or merits already you can attempt to change the pass to a merit and a merit to a distinction. Actually it is theoretically possible to go from not achieved to distinction.

If you don't want to upgrade, or you have distinctions already, well you get a week off.