BTECs starting 2015 - General support thread

Gas I would have been very annoyed with him. I hope it didn't spoil the holiday for you and i'm glad the driving is going ok.

TandT I wouldn't be paying for the trip either. One of the ones DD could have gone on was expensive and I worked out we could get flights for all four of us with some left over for accommodation for the cost.

DD is doing well thank you, it's a month today she went. She's coming back in October for a week or so and sent me a text today asking if I would like her to do some of the cooking when she is back to make things easier for me. I was very pleasantly surprised at that one and I think she is getting what we did for her.

She had friends to stay and was saying she did a lot of cooking. I said something along the lines of it can be tiring catering fur guests. Response was that was ok, it was when they used the kitchen it was a disaster as the made such a mess. DH and I were when we heard that.

She's missing Tesco apparently and Chicken Tikka Masala but a Jamie Oliver recipe sent over has sorted that and she went out to buy a slow cooker and has beef stew on the go. She seems to be coping well and we have a lot of contact so all good here. That makes a pleasant change

Back of our hols now but my it was stressful in the run up. My little s*t of a son lied when he told me there was only one assignment left. There were quite a few and he missed the extended deadline. They extended it again and again he didn't complete them all. The final deadline was the day before we were flying. It's all done now and he has to go in tomorrow to have everything signed off. We reckon he should come out with a D D D is enough for his first choice uni. I know it is a very good score but part of me is pissed off with him as if he hadn't handed the assignments in late it would have been better. The more important problem is that it is highly unlikely if not impossible that he will qualify for the academic scholarship/grant which is £2,000.

I am very very slowly (and not without worry) getting used to him being out and about in the car. He took three of his mates shopping almost two hours away. They all came back in one piece. The car will not be going to uni with him.

Teen totally reasonable to say no. Is you DD alright about it? Are the majority of parents approving the trip?

I paid £1,000 a few years back for DD to go skiing for a week in Europe. Although it seemed pricey it was something we would never do as a family and she wanted to try it. The £1.000 included flights, all meals and hire of equipment. I would have said a big fat no to NY.

Looked forward to updates next month as results come. Off to go through which open days DD wants to book for.

I would be asking for a breakdown of the costings - it seems excessive unless the accommodation is very very good. I asked for a breakdown of costings once for a Y11 theatre trip to London - got a much better deal and said I would pay for ds to go independently - he met his class there though was marked down as being absent from school as opposed to being on a school trip

Who who = boy who

Eat - thanks for remembering her ankle. She had her ankle well strapped and it seemed to hold up, so I think it's nearly there.

The who who was a friend is now predictably a boyfriend.

She was supposed to be writing an essay last night, "accidentally fell asleep "

Thanks chaps - exciting times for some of our dc - glad to hear HSM dd enjoyed the dancing (9 hrs!!) hope her ankle survived. Draylon I expect you are relived that ds has made a decision and hope the units don't change. T&T hope the Spanish AS is a pass. Next hurdle here is the driving test - ds is hell bent on passing it by the end of the summer holiday and he's out of the country for half of it so not sure how thats going to happen

Brilliant eat.

DD's college had their open day and she had to go and prance around in the dance department from 12-9. She thought it was a great day.

That Eatyourveg is the best news I have heard in a long time Huge congratulations to him.

Results out today D D D ! 400 ucas points so he got the £2K uni scholarship!

I hope you're ok Draylon. I read about your DH's job on another thread, I am so sorry

Which taster day did he go for Draylon? How did it go?

Hello everyone I've just found this thread and wanted to offer some words of encouragement to anyone whose DS or DD haven't had the best of years this year. Last year my DS was doing A level Geography, Statistics, BTEC Applied Physics and BTEC Environmental Sustainability. He found the move to college quite a challenge - he's far from being a party boy but just didn't get how much work he needed - combined with some very poor teaching and admin by the physics tutor who left at Easter. So he ended up with passes at both BTEC and a D in Geography and u in stats. At one point we didn't think uni would be an option - in fact this time last year college were threatening not to let him come back! I am so proud that he has worked his socks off this year - achieving a Distinctions in both BTEC and hoping for a B in Geography (dropped stats!). He has a Uni place for September which he was deferring to earn some money - but is now going to reapply as with the equivalent of AAB he wants to aim higher and is choosing a different course. Despite our issues with the course admin I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the btec - in fact our DS2 is also doing a combination...just make sure you don't leave them to it and keep up communication with the college - in my experience unless students specifically withdraw permission colleges are usually happy to deal with parents in the same way as schools.

I understand your point about about low entry requirement - 5 GCSEs incl math and english although in reality they can still get on the course with out english or maths as they run those subjects alongside the timetable. There's was probably some disruption even before the new rules came in as I expect there were students who were only there because their parents said they had to. I am worrying how much it has increased.

On the positive side it has given the likes of my DS the chance to get on.

I can't tell you it will be alright but I was like you two years ago so I understand the worry. Your DS may surprise you.

I am not sure how practical it would be but if you can't get the information from the colleges could he do half a day at each college

Draylon It's not uncommon at colleges to find students who are starting a course after having already completed a year of another course.

Depending on timetables you could find that DS ends up with a day off and possible half days as well. My DS certainly had at least a day and a half off a week (obviously supposed to be studying)

I'm not sure what others think but as far as disruptive students are concerned you will no doubt have them at both colleges.

Remember he can apply to both colleges and make a decision later.

T & T Your DD has done well and hope AS goes well

Eat It is all a bit of an anti climax isn't it? Still has one assignment to complete. I have had a go as he needs to get it all signed off by next Friday as we go on holiday. He just keeps telling me to chill!

I hope he enjoys his 18th. Still have another two months to go and he doesn't know how he wants to celebrate.

Off to an open day with DD on Tuesday. It is DS's insurance choice so at least I have know where it is!