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

Thanks everyone for the feedback - Im not sure how good his college is to be honest. He struggles with narrating things which level 3 seems to love - like explaining why you make the choices you make in developing something. He can do the r end point but he struggle with narrating how he got there

My DS is doing Level 3 IT and says the class has a mix of fresh from GCSEs (him) and older Level 2s. In my limited experience, I'd say the jump is less from Level 2 to Level 3 than from GCSE to Level 3 as you have to hit the ground running with coursework (whereas DS did nothing for 1.5 years at school).

In DS course, the coursework is heavy, which he is ok with but some might struggle, and in the first year, the maths is light (though he is doing Core maths separately, with some others in his class). Coming in with a 7 in maths is brilliant, he'll have all of that covered, but if he needed support with Level 2 coursework, that might be ongoing.
It's a great system with support where needed, so I wouldn't be worried.

Haha, yes they still call it half term! I just asked him and got that "funny" look and he actually said "why wouldn't they?", so thanks for that! 😁

Thanks for good wishes on retail job. It's a big High Street shop that I rarely enter but if I needed to, I could always go mid-week. He's usually "upstairs in men's" so I could even risk it. He's so lucky to have the job, good pay and many of his A Level friends don't have the time. He has to be available Sat and Sun, depending on shifts, so lucky he has Friday off. We live about a mile from town so he can walk, cycle, take a lift if it's raining (and there has been a lot of that!)

Four episodes in to Small Prophets. I wish I'd found it late, like Detectorists and had three series to watch.

All the best.

That sounds .... weird.
If this is for progression in Sept will they accept functional skills English instead? If college won't let him do it through them he should be able to find an online course and do it privately between now and August. It is much more straightforward than English Language.

🙏, I was literally sat in the pew, looking at her photo on the service sheet, and her gorgeous wicker coffin, thinking from what I knew of her she would be incredulous that her, frankly amazing!, life was prefaced with that diminishing, humiliating and hurtful unnecessary crap! … ( shame you can’t leave negative feedback for such things! 🙄🤷‍♀️😹!) .

@Sisublondie
Oh, how upsetting for you! Poor woman...to be so diminished by a stranger 😕

@Raven08

Hey! Well, it’s positive that your Mum is certainly no worse, and even better that’s she’s better than this time last week.
💖. I went to a lovely villagers funeral yesterday, absolutely lovely lady I’ve known 16 years since I moved here. I was looking forward to learning more about her history, as I’ve only know her chatting about her favourite holiday destination she wished she’d retired to, her vague NHS job and her life in London. I cannot express how utterly livid I was when the Vicar lead with “ Good Morning, well, most of you will have known Josephine longer than me. When I first met her three years ago, she was….”.. ( get this!!!)….,”… ALREADY RAVAGED BY DEMENTIA “……… Raven, I was stunned!! I was almost deaf to the rest…. In her funeral, she was defined in the opening credits by “ ravaged by dementia, but still had a twinkle in her eye/ smile/ whatever”… ! Shocking! I will have to ensure that that does NOT happen at my Mum’s. Awful. Sorry! Rent over! 😳🙀!

Making a quilt!! Very impressive! Oooh, those pins’ll hurt more than Lego! How the heck do you start? Is she sticking a cool combo of squares together? I’m happy she had a good weekend!

Hmmmmm. Big decision on not training for the next event… but! Good that she has planned the one early next year. FOMO may, indeed, kick in, but I guess it’s a case of having to say that she’s made the decision that’s right for her at the time. She will know this. Deep down…. 🤩

Assessment week! Agh! I feel you! Waiting for DS mock English results…

Well, just watched DS1 take off from one random country to the next! Predictably, his little comical plan disappeared from the screen, so I screamed out “ his planes gone!!! OMG!!!!!!”.. which wasn’t treated with the panic I thought necessary by DH. I don’t know what I’d done wrong, but it was still there, bobbing away about to head out over the ocean…… on his own 😳🙀🙀😹!!

Eeeek. No, I did not know that. That’s awful. I’m so sorry, what has your DS had to do, then?

Mine was “ only” 9 Marks off. And, for him, that was an absolute achievement!!

I am really very sorry to hear that, I am furious on your DS behalf. It’s an absolute bloody travesty, so pointless. I hope he’s doing ok. 🤞

@LarkspurLane

Do they still call it “ half term”?! Only because when I asked DS when his was, he gave me that look they have?? Where you know you’ve said something wrong? Not cool? That kind of thing! Kidding, anyway, good that you are all set.

What excitingly fab news as to DS’s retail job!! Now, that is very cool! Is it close by?! Is it somewhere you normally frequent? Asking only as if it is, are you now barred?! 😈😹. It’s really good that he can use it towards his WE earn money. Plus, so good for his experience personally. Isn’t it funny, or, rather, really sad, the little opportunity of DC to get “ Saturday” jobs, now?? We live rurally, now, (we moved up from London when DS were 3/1), so wouldn’t be much opportunity here, in any event, but across the board that appears to be the case. I was working in FHW and Barretts at 14!! Is his course something where it’s possible to get course related WE locally?

Anyway, really good that he has time during WE week to do assignments, and the gym ( 😻), and exam prep. When are his exams? DS has his English resit, and, thankfully, assignments only on his course. Does your DS have many exams?

Small Prophets! Yes, I said to @Raven08, it’s on my TDL for tomorrow! I’ll keep you updated! I do like it when I’m watching something I really enjoy 🤩!

Do you have any plans for next week, or hopefully chilling? I’ve got a mix of running round after DS, work only Thursday/Friday, and back up to my Mum’s the following week, then repeat 😻…. I hope you have a great one! ( tho we’ll probably “ talk!!)..

Do you know they can’t progress to the last year of the vocational course without English and maths? My lad has Maths but has failed English so many times. So disheartening

It’s on my list for tomorrow! In the background whilst I have to print out some pre-Course reading docs for a “ very important” ( utterly pointless tick-boxy upcoming trainjbg course!) .., the reviews are fab!

She is meant to do 250hrs so I think we are talking until at least end April. I've agreed with college we'll see how things are going at Easter, and probably formulate a job applying plan then. We saw a deer on the way in today which was nice.
My washing machine is doing overtime rinsing and washing the kit!

@LarkspurLane
I'm just going to start watching small prophets ☺️
I absolutely love detectorists so am looking forward to it

Thats a plus! ☺️

Oooooh, excellent result!! Not torrential ☔️! So, how long will the “ 2 day week” work experience continue? Is she settled in well, and enjoying it? That does sound really good, more so obviously if she’s loving it, too! ( and dry!)

I'd say not that big with a grade 7 in maths for an IT Btec.
It'll be predominantly maths and Comp Sci based?

Hey! First of all, well done on the Maths! That’s an excellent grade, and congratulations on getting English in the end 🤩! My DS didn’t do Level 2, but I’ll try to help as best as I can. He has ASD/ ADHD/ Epilepsy. He doesn’t have an EHCP- his school was terrible re the EHCP and my eternal regret I should have fought harder, for too long I thought it was something only the school could apply for.. sorry! I digress. I hope your DS found he benefitted from his and I don’t know if that extends to his college.

My DS is currently doing a Level 3 BTEC in Uniformed Public Services. He got a Grade 4 in Maths and is resitting English. I actually don’t see him having had a “ big jump” at all from GCSE’s to Level 3. Indeed, in his first assignment he got a Distinction, and since then he is getting a mix of Merits and a few Passes. How is your DS currently assessed? Mine is a lot of verbal Q&A, as his lecturers have found that verbal assessment seemingly works well, but I guess with IT, not so much! What does he wish to progress to? I guess, more importantly, how is he doing currently? Does he seem to be plodding along ok? Struggling? Or, a bit unfazed and doing consistently well?

So, sorry, in conclusion, I would say my DS has not found any leap at all to Level 3 ( from Levek 2 “ equiv”), indeed, he’s much happier and coping a lot better.

Good Luck! 🍀

Could I ask how big the jump is from level 2 to level 3? Ds has an EHCP and currently doing a level 2 in IT. He got a 7 in gcse maths but took a few goes to get a pass in English and struggles with extended writing

DD has just done her first week with 2 days work experience instead of 1, and as it only rained a little bit didn't come back soaking wet for a change.

OK here, ready for half term.
DS has got himself a retail job and is going to be able to use that for his hours of work experience. He's working weekends but I think he can make it count. He is going to use his work experience week to work on assignments and do some exam prep (and go to the gym) if he can't pick up any extra shifts.
College is quite flexible and he has promised me that next year he will really try to get something course related.

Anyone watching Small prophets (I like that this group doesn't just talk about BTECs)? I am two episodes in and a bit unsure but quite hopeful it will be great.

I hope everyone is ok, it's so hard juggling needy teens and older parents, so I hope you all get a rest (if you have next week off).

Ah, yes, the rain!
I did see my first crocuses today which cheered me up slightly ☺️🌱
Mum is much the same, but better than this time last week for sure.
Dd enjoyed her w/e. She decided to start making a quilt yesterday! So I've soent today walking gingerly around as she does shed pins 📌 liberally ☺️
Blimey, hope ds1 arrives safely and enjoys his experience 🙏
Dd has decided not to train to do her next hobby event. She is planning on training again for the event early next year.
I think its the right decision - she has SO much work to do for this course and she gets very stressed.
I'm sure the fomo will hit though!
It's assessment week at dds college, so after half term she should get her mark 😬

How’s everyone doing this week?

@Raven08, so! How is DD’s work experience going?!
Any updates on your Mum?

Nothing interesting here, DS still waiting for his mock English results… and DS19 currently on layover waiting for next flight to Russian country for language school fun during his Uni reading week.

Still raining! 🙀😹

Just checked mine! Ditto! Rain till Saturday then snow till Tuesday! (Well, it ends then….😹!). The flooding is wretched, and that is really crap that you won’t be able to get there! I’m guessing it’s not zoom-able! Hopefully it’s reschedule-able for in not too distant future…….( and hopefully not time critical!)… Yes, thankfully WE local 🤩!

Oh crikey, reablement packages…. ( I would be literally lost. I have attempted to find ‘basic’ assistance in my Mum’s area, on Alzheimer’s Society website ( as directed by her Dr)….. big fat zero. Sigh).

Good Luck with that- I hope you manage to find something suitable and possible for her 🍀.

I've got an appointment tomorrow and no way of reaching it through the all
flooring 😬😕
WE is local, thank goodness!
I'm researching reablement packages atm - grim reading.
Apparently, its going to rain here until Friday 😫

Weather is grim, isn’t it? Lots of flooding round here….

February Half Term is historically weird round here so not always in line with other parts of UK. I was starting to think he didn’t have one!

Hopefully the WE will be great… I can’t remember, does she have to travel into the city, or its local?

I hope news from the hospital will be positive when you hear… yes, all usually quiet at weekends. No news is good news 😻!