BTEC/T level/other vocational 25/26 - part 2

Can I ask if your children have found the jump from level 2 to level 3 difficult? Level 2 seems to get them into the way it is evaluated so I’m hoping it’s not too much of a jump. We are looking at the UAL games development level 3

@Sisublondie
Ah, man...it's always something isn't it?
I'm pleased with the look of the pine now..the chalk paint has really toned the orangeyness * down

• I've decided thats a word @LarkspurLaneI might try that tactic on dd! :)

haha, thanks!

I've been banned from mentioning college and only allowed to talk about important topics such as protein and the correct quantity of eggs to eat per day (I think that is 6).

I am vaguely nostalgic for exams and coursework, although one way to get him out of the room when I want to read my book is to ask "have you started your assignment yet?".

I hope everyone is doing ok with assignments, resits and of course that thing called life that keeps butting in when we least expect it.

@Raven08.. Ah, yes! What will they do when work is handed in?! Well! According to DS, he happily said the other day, that if he gets his assignments done and handed in, then he can “ break up early”!! Hmmmm. Best check that!

White porcelain knobs sound great! I think my house is just white chalk paint! 🙄😹! So, you’ve stripped it off, to pine? Are you going to stain/ varnish? Sounds brilliant.. plus! It’ll make you feel fab looking at it all! That sense of achievement!

Mum… hmmmm. It’s hard to gauge, isn’t it? We were watching that “ Missed Call” last night. A few times confused as to who was who. And my telling her DS19 was going out with DH the other day….. then her asking where he was a few minutes later. But, because she’s totally deaf in one ear ( and not great in other!), I’m used to having to repeat things, so hard to tell if it’s just same old/ same old, or progression … Hopefully “ just” stagnating! If you know what I mean! I’m glad yours is similar…… as in, not worse 🤗.

Warehouse trip- wow! What’s that for? Hopefully she will bounce through the door, having had a brilliant time!!!

DS19 is happy he’s back. Got Firsts in his results for written essays and his exams start 1 May. ( he’s deeply unhappy about being carless, though… bloody car accident !!.. I have told him we are replacing it to get one for DS to learn in… but that’s another pain as DVLA need his epilepsy Con to provide medical report….and he’s like “ well it’ll be over 2 grand for insurance.. so what’s the point?!”! So, once I get his mind off the fact I can’t change the fact we live in a “ hamlet”, 🤯, he’s on good form!!

😻

Hi @Sisublondie
Dd actually said she was looking forward to going back yesterday! But..they've all gone to a huge warehouse place on a trip today so not sure how she'll feel once she gets home 😬
Hope your mum is ok? My mum is much the same, but not worse, which is something.
I hope ds soon hears back from college re: W/E expectations 🙏
The furniture is a few years old. We had it made when we moved here, but in a mad moment about 10 years ago I painted it all in white chalk paint...I am regretting this decision now, although I am pleased with the result. I've put white porcelain knobs on which look nice.
Its a pig of a job, though 😬
Hope everyone else is doing ok?
I need to try and find out what dd will be doing at college once the work is handed in in a few weeks time...

@LarkspurLane Hope your core maths is going well!

Hello all! Sorry I’ve been quiet, I have been dropping behind all over as juggling too much over the “ holidsy” 😈😹!

I hope everyone has had a lovely Easter break!

Anyone rise in Resit Hell? We “ only” have English.. May 21/June 5 I think… I’m really concerned as not seeing much revision at home. College said they are putting classes on there, but not till 24/4. I think PTSD has wiped a lot of last year, but are past papers the best way to revise for Enid’s Language ?

Anyway! How are assignments going? Return to college for SUMMER term gone ok?! 👍

@Raven08.. helllo!! My mum was picked up by DH en route from Scotland with DS19, and with training courses I’m overdue on ( due to my frequent trips up north) my brain has been 🤯!.. I have managed to escape this morning to the hairdressers and errands as time off!! Joyous!!! Really is!!! No one can ask me to cook/fetch/clean/M-Uber!!

How was your trip?! Was the weather ok!? How did DD college friend visit go…..? Much studying gone on?! 🙄

The pine furniture sounds perfection!!! Ooooh, I’d love to see Before and After Shots!! Is this furniture of yours you already have and are “ up cycling “?! ( is that the term?!)

How did the return to college go? I hope she soon settled in….. Thankfully she’s finished her W/E! The semi- drama 🎭 is in abeyance here, whilst DS finds out if he has got one of the three he applied for ( that college recommended!). I had looked though them, and shortlisted in my head the outdoor activity - ish ones….. two of which he went for… the other- bless him-….. a charity that works with the elderly .. which I thought super cute!

How are your DD’s next pieces going?!

ps- How’s your Mum? Any change? x

Dd a bit anxious about going back into college tomorrow. She tends to get like this after the longer breaks.
But she's been working hard and has also completed her W/E ☺️
She's only got 5 weeks to go til the next pieces have to be handed in 😬

Hi folks..
Hope you've all had a nice Easter break? We had 4 days away which was much needed.
Dd has a college friend coming here tomorrow for a "study day"...hmm...
I predict very little studying and lots of watching awful reality tv 😬
We've finally finished watching the other Bennett sister on bbc and I really recommend it 👏
I've started stripping some pine furniture and am now in DIY hell ...why do it do these things!? Seemed like a good idea at the time..
Dd seems to have done a fair bit of work over the break.
I might have a break from paint stripping tomorrow and just chill out!

Happy Easter everyone!!!!

Got back from Mum’s.. M6 was worse than going up on Monday! Funny, as tons of other people were also stuck on the M6 round Manchester and calling up Radio One.. ( makes you not feel so alone!). Today- Been a bit of a non-event, really, DH went up to Scotland to collect DS19 from Uni,( back Tuesday) and DS17 ( and GF) haven’t been sociable… and I wasted time making a big meal that wasn’t appreciated in the slightest!!!

@Raven08….. Retail therapy sounds bloody brilliant!!! ( and, well, Spendy..🤑.. you can’t take it with you!! ). Speaking of which, taking DS17 ( and GF) to Trafford Centre tomorrow. Don’t. (😳😈😹🤷‍♀️🙀😹!!!) I haven’t been for so long ! So, did you manage to get all your fabric for DD?

How did DD’s friend staying go? Late nights?!

Hope it’s a fab Easter weekend!! 🐣 😻x

Well...it turned out, dd and I went for some retail therapy 😬
Very spendy 😬
She's happy, though ☺️
We were trawling the charity shops for fabric for dds next project
M4 sounds horrendous!
I've done no prep for next week...dd has a friend coming to stay on Thursday and then its easter weekend.
Hope you all have a lovely non- stressful Easter 🐣

Just replied! 🙄😹!!

Hope the first day of your Easter holidays went well? Yay on the work experience front….she will get those ticked off in no time at all!

Hoping the rubbish weather gets used up this week, so your trip has better! The M6 was pretty grim today… stationary on my Northbound whilst police stopped the Southbound carriageway next to me….. nearly 6 hours from mine to my Mum’s.. Luckily you will have hopefully a nice cottage/hotel/airbnb at your destination!

I hope you enjoyed a morning of not rushing around!!!! 🥳

@Sisublondie
Phew!
So glad its getting sorted x
We are away up north the week after Easter. Hoping the weather isnt too awful 😬
I think dd has almost done her w/e hours, but I'm just letting her get on with it...she's only got about 2/3 hours left to do.
I'm glad of the holidays, we are all pretty tired 😴

@Raven08.. Well! We have a result!!!! What a frustrating time ( mixed in with mammoth unexpected 10 hour round trip up north!) but!! I’m more relieved than fuming! It transpires that … the 18th magic date he had got into his head from somewhere, but didn’t remember where! (🙄@TeenToTwenties!), is the week he is SUPPOSED to be doing the work experience!! And, the message he got that set off the horrific meltdown was bloody inaccurate- and the sender had him down as a student on a totally different course!! If I wasn’t so drained, I would have wanted to make a fuss, but he has completely “ moved on” … “drama over”.. and I’m now ploughing through a list of places others have previously been at to see if he can get a place there.. ( a bizarre mix of riding schools, golf clubs (!) and care homes… with some outdoor adventure places, which I think is most suited!)… it’s exactly as you said @TeenToTwenties- with your DD! Up to the student. Least we have something to work from!

So! I’m mostly bloody happy at where we are - and don’t have the energy to kick off ( mind you, I’m seriously not a kicking off type!).

I guess a huge positive is that I am actually more aware of where he is up to. I’ve had a gradual feeling that I wasn’t being so kept up to date, if you know what I mean? He says he is up to date with assignments. And that the extra English revision classes start after Easter. So, next step is hoping he does revision UNPROMPTED over the holidays!!! Older bro is apparently not breaking up till Good Friday? ( has anyone heard of that at a Uni, before? ), and says some of his mates are staying up there so he’s not coming home till the Tuesday 7th? But says he’ll be back till the end of the month.. which is fab! But as @LarkspurLane we were saying, May isn’t far away!! I mean, it’s APRIL next week!! ( and the damn clocks tonight!! Less sleep!!!) ..

How are we all feeling about Easter?! @Raven08, am I having a false memory….. or.. are you going away?! European trip, I thought? Anyone else?

Thank you for all your ongoing support… it means a lot.. 🤗x

@Sisublondie
Hope you've damaged to get some clarity from ds college x

@Sisublondie
Your poor ds...and poor you!
As a pp said, it's time to intervene, against his wishes or not tbh.
I'd be emailing the head, hoy, senco, whoever is in charge of w/e - a staff member must be the named contact! (It's usually the DSL)
I really hope it gets sorted for you both x

@Sisublondie

Sorry, that all sounds tough.
DS did not find a work experience, he worked in his part time job a bit (not a full week) but they have agreed to sign it off once he reaches the required hours.

Also, for DS course, they need the work experience to pass the course overall, not to pass the year. If you could find out about that - at least then you could focus on getting something in place at a later time.

The fact that your DS lost out because his trip was cancelled, it would be very unfair to penalise him for that.

Listening to my A Level and GCSE friends, getting work experience is really tough and no one gets any help from college. It's different if the work experience is a core part (hairdressing, catering, etc) but for other courses at DS college anything goes.

The H&S checks the college need to do are to check the business is 'safe' and they have appropriate insurance. So they may need to send someone out to see the premises but at least there is exchange of paperwork. insurance, who will be supervising the young person etc.

No idea what '18th May as last day' may refer to.

@TeenToTwentiesYes, he’s first year…

Now, your mention of May is very interesting, as he keeps mentioning 18th May… as “ last day “? But, he doesn’t know for what. I’ll hopefully get clarity today. The current only possible is at my friends new business, and no, she has never had anyone go there before. Do you know how onerous the H&S checks are? Is it basically like a Risk Assessment?

Wow, that is a lot of places to contact. He had mentioned contacting one in the past that college “ uses” but I thought it was for volunteering.. in any event, they were “ full”.

Thank you so much, I will do as you suggest.🙏🙏

@Raven08.. Ugh, well it all continued till early hours and I actually fell asleep with my light on, phone in hand, to come on here ( luckily, I’d just got into bed, tho!).😈😹.. anyway! As I tentatively tried to give “ bullet points” of bare minimum to try today, ( nervous as breaks up tomorrow), all he did was scream at me again. DH then took him off to the bus stop. In essence, I have gleaned from this trip that he has been texting his main tutor, who is also confused. Not least because literally ALL his class are in lessons this week. Tutor chap is apparently going to contact HIS “ boss” ( who we are told makes the final decisions)to basically find out, well, the basics… what can be recognised as work experience/ odd hours, or “ one block”, etc?.

After battles that were handled badly and SENCO disappointment at his previous school, he does not have a EHCP ( still furious about) but he does have a senco contact who I’ve previously been in touch with. I think, as @TeenToTwentiesalso kindly suggests, I think they need to be informed that a ND child has been left floundering and distraught… ( I mean, I myself was confused picking him up from lessons, whilst reading messsge from college saying everyone should be on WE week! So, why are the lessons running, then?!).

He definitely sounds like your DD in the bunny headlights! And, also, when they feel like they made a mistake?! On the drive back from college, the only split second of silence from sob/yell/rant was after I managed to pluck up courage to say….” But! You could NEVER have done it this week, you are supposed to be on the other side of the world”.. and the penny dropped that HE hadn’t got it all wrong!

Well… I’ll see what I can do, and it’s a veritable wait and see re DS.

How are your DD’s?

Thank you! 🤩 🙏💖

@Sisublondie First year?

He should be able to do work experience in May half term, or even after the end of the summer term. But I agree it will be far too late for H&S checks for this Easter, they take them seriously unless he can go to somewhere where someone else is already going as then they will have done the checks .

For DD they gave lists of places that have given work placements before but it was up to the young person to contact them themselves (ie I sat with DD helped compose the emails and CV and we sent them together). Expect to have to contact 10-20 places to find a placement.

I strongly suggest you contact college irrespective of what your DS says.

@Sisublondie
Oh, man 😕 that's tough.
I think in your shoes I'd have to step in and explain that as he is in full on panic mode, you need to be the middle man and talk to college to find out what his next steps are.
It sounds very poor from the college tbh...does your ds have an ehcp? If so, I'd be contacting the senco and complaining about how this has been handled/communicated.
Dds college have also been pretty blase about it. I know that 16/17 years olds are expected to manage their own studies, and I'm all for that, but some dc still need more support to access the curriculum/manage their time/communications.
Dd also goes full on "rabbit in the headlights" when things don't go to plan or she feels she's made a mistake 😕
I hope he is able to calm down soon.
Thinking of you x

So! I’m having first major BTEC Course drama! And, I don’t know what to do, as DS is not letting me contact any college staff. He kind of mentioned work experience at the weekend…. Just a throw away reference in a confused way. Long story short, it transpires that it is “ WE week”. Clearly he hasn’t booked any work experience as he was due to be doing it all on his college trip. Which was cancelled. And, the college, when cancelling, didn’t go “ Oh! And, heads up! You have a week to find a week of alternative work experience! Good luck!”. So, he’s distraught, terrified he’s going to fail the year. He contacted the college asking what to do, the response was “ too late for h&s checks etc “, so he has been in full meltdown since I left here to do pick up. I wanted to call/ contact his tutor/ the WE person/ anyone but flat out rejected. He’s been sobbing like he hasn’t in years. I don’t ever know what will be accepted as “ work experience”??

It’s ironic, really. I hate the phrase “ things can’t get any worse”, because it’s so true! I couldn’t sleep last night worrying about English resit ( and a heavy dose of Mum), but now I’m even more out of my depth as zero idea how to solve this curveball!!

🤯.., sorry to moan!!!!