BTEC sports ? really = 4 GCSE's?

Just to add to other posts -

My ds did a sports BTech because he knew he would enjoy it. He also did triple science and maths a year early along with a few other GCSE's.

He then went on to do Maths, Physics, Chemistry and English Literature at AS and is doing Maths, Physics & English Lit to A2.

He's just applied to do Mechanical Engineering at Uni and all his applications have been to Russell Group Uni's. He's just had 5 offers [proud mum emoticon] so no problem with his BTech at GCSE. He would have loved to have gone to Imperial College but it is as hard to get in there as to Oxbridge (A*AA to get in) so it's possible they would have looked at his GCSE's for there but I don't know this for sure.

Are you in education cricketballs?

amerryscot; a BTEC diploma is the equivalent to 4 GCSEs and the amount of coursework that the diploma requires proves this. They have never been designed to bump up the league tables given that BTEC qualifications have been around since the conception of GCSEs (prior to league tables) but unfortunately, a lot of schools/parents have seen them as this and as such they have acquired the poor reputation that you have fallen victim to.

In terms of the league tables, current year 9 students have been given a grace year and as such their current courses will be included in the headline figures.

For a dyslexic student it is the ideal course as they can improve on their coursework until the end date in year 11 (usually may) and this ensures that they achieve a high grade. However, this does not mean every student can achieve as without the understanding of the theory then there is no possibility of applying this to the vocational setting that a BTEC assignment requires and even less chance of evaluating the theory against the vocational setting that the higher grades dictate.

In terms of uni applications, unless your ds wishes to study medicine/Oxbridge then having a BTEC as well as GCSEs in the main subject areas will not be held against them; rather it shows that they are capable of more than straight academic study but also the application of their knowledge (which is more than helpful for a degree study). It is also worth pointing out that most unis accept a BTEC National Diploma in place of A levels for entry

I am a little concerned when you say that he is doing one of his sciences early.

If he is in Year 9, his normal timeline will be to do linear exams by the time he gets to Year 11. I don't think it is possible to mix and match the two systems. I can imagine it if he completes all three sciences on the same timetable as the current Y10. This is really worth checking with the school, and also to check that the school understands the new system.

There may be the same issues in Maths.

What is the rationale behind doing these courses early? Students usually get better grades if they wait to do them in Year 11.

It is very hard to dictate/scribe for Maths. For example, the student can't tell the scribe to write down 'two squared' - they have to say '2 superscript 2'. You can imagine how complicated it gets with A-level where there are more symbols to use.

What help is he getting with his dyslexia?

No, it's not equivalent to 4 GCSEs. That was designed to bump up poor schools in the league tables. By the time your DS gets there, this will have all disappeared.

The universities put quite a big emphasis on GCSE results, some using the number of A and A* grades to sort applications before reading them.

If he is doing his Maths GCSE early, he needs to keep doing Maths in his down year, eg do Additional Maths, or start is A-level and continue on with Further Maths.

Year 9s are in a tricky situation as courses move from modular to linear. They can't take their GCSEs over three years (which is fairly common for separate sciences).

If his reading/writing are very poor, he will struggle with A-level Biology. For Engineering, Physics/Maths/Further Maths is a good A-level combo; include Chemistry for Chem Eng.

ds(18) has been offered some university places with his btecs

No one looks at more than 5 GCSEs really - and he will have those.

BTEC is equivelant to 4 GCSEs but it is not GCSEs. They are entirely coursework and from a teacher's point of view much easier to adapt for a dyslexic student. eg part of most of these (I don't teach sport) is health and safety. The teacher chooses the assesement so instead of having to write an essay on H and S your son could be asked to list a number of hazards in a gym, a number of hygeine issues and what goes in a first aid box.

A tick sheet of his answers then goes into his folder.

Keeping folders / evidence straight is excelent prep for further studies

Oh and she has done bronze, silver and gold DofE. I honestly don't know how relevant they are on application forms but I do know that DD benefitted hugely from doing them. And she really enjoyed them too.

DD is considering engineering. She is doing maths, physics, chemistry and biology at AS. She is planning to drop biology for A2. She has been to some (Russell group) open days and provided she achieves AAA for her A2s that's OK and they don't mind which GCSEs she has.
Sometimes universities will look for at least a B in GCSE English language, but for the mech eng courses DD has been looking at they don't seem to mind.

Sorry, having reread your OP my reply doesn't really answer your question. Unless your DC wants to do medicine then GCSEs are not normally very relevant. Most decent universities only ask for 3 good a levels. So your DS only needs to worry about achieving the entry requirements for his chosen 6th form.

It's not the equivalent of 4 GCSEs but there is nothing wrong with taking it provided he has some other decent subjects. IMO provided he has English lit and language, maths, triple or double science, history and/or geography and a modern foreign language - ie the English baccalaureate - then it's really not that important what his other subjects are.

How many option blocks does it use? Does he have any 'fun' GCSEs on his radar already?