BTECs starting 2015 - General support thread

Yes I can imagine - did it go well?

Watched DD's btec dance while it was being assessed today. That was nice to see what they have been doing.

I meant the majority of her course, only 6 out of 15 planning to stay.

Rather jealous of those of you with three years! DD on countdown till she leaves. It sounds as if the majority won't be completing year 2.

Good news HSM!

HSMMaCM That's good.

Dd hid her piercing under her hairstyle for dance today and got away with it.

Good point Kbear!!!

No idea what dd will do after college - it's a three year course so I'm just enjoying her being happy and not worrying/thinking about the future.

Sugar Will keep my fingers crossed!

I suddenly realized that although I had received a report last term there wasn't any mention of his English GCSE. I e-mailed his personal tutor asking if he could ask the English tutor to let me know how he is getting on. I was impressed to receive an e-mail less than an hour and a half.

I am copying and pasting the reply so if my DS's tutor is reading this please don't tell him my username!

' He is a regular and punctual attendee at the Monday afternoon English class. He has the ability to attain a grade C but needs to work faster and maintain a sharp focus on the task in hand. He is apt to go off at a tangent in class discussions and procrastinate with written work. He is a pleasant and intelligent young man but needs to take his English studies more seriously to attain his potential standard. It is important that he catches up with late controlled assessments and, from March onwards, revises every day for the exam on June 7th. If he does this, there is every chance that he will attain a grade C this summer'

I think the problem is that he has been accepted at his first choice uni on the basis of having functional skills so he still gets to go there even if he fails his GCSE. What I am trying to get him to understand is that not all future employers will understand that both qualifications are supposed to be the same.

Will keep nagging!

Hi Kbear. Good to hear that your DD is enjoying college. Us BTEC mums needs to keep on about A levels are not the be all and end all.

My DS (studying sport and in Y13) didn't have the personal problems but was not impressed by school and came out with a similar mix of grades (minus english). His school didn't have a sixth form so it was either sixth form college or the local tech (no A levels offered at tech). Here people are very snobby about which college but personally (after having a DD go through sixth form) I have nothing but praise for the tech.

What her plans after college?

Hello - joining in the convo - My DD is year 12 and is doing a BTEC level 3 Diploma in Performing Arts - and LOVING IT. She had a crap year 11 on a personal level but still did well in her GCSEs and had a mixed bag but got two As, three Bs, and few Cs and Ds. She begged not to have to go back to her particular school and after all that happened I couldn't argue and didn't want her to either.... so she auditioned for a small independent college which is fully funded and got a place. She is doing really well, and is happy every night when she comes in, she's dancing three or four hours a day plus aerobic exercise and other classes like Healthy Performer. All in all, for her, it was the best option and so far it's a winner.

A levels aren't for everyone, even those who are As in GCSE - some of her friends at doing A levels and finding it dull and uninspiring and want to leave school and go to college instead.

The extra time isn't a definite yet but am hopeful. My theory is if we can just get her through the darkroom project which is due in 8 Feb then hopefully she will be better with the other units we can start to ramp up the Maths a bit. I think she is getting 4 lessons a weeks so pleased about that.

Your poor DD T&T, I dread the bus not coming .

How are things Gaslight ?

Sugar Good to hear that she has the extra time and I am sure it will help.

Teen Excellent list. As parents we need to know how it work (not that I do) especially if our child is struggling.

She got a D but I don't know if high or low C. Darkroom paper just arrived, College have run out so she couldn't do any darkroom work today very annoyingly.

That is an excellent list and will really help people in future T&T. i'm only just getting my head around DD's course. She's put her Japanese back up to a weekly lesson to keep her hand in and is taking her next JLPT exam in the summer. I think we all will be pleased to see the back of photography which is quite sad really .

HSM is probably the answer to this. I don't dare drink as suspect if I start I'll never stop.

DD came up 'at risk' on Dyscalculia screening so further tests with view to extra time in maths resit, the dates for that arrived today.

• came

She's allowed to have the piercing for college, but not allowed to have one at all for dance, even if it's taped apparently. She has an assessment next month , before she can remove it). She can't home half devastated and half "what are they gonna do? Chuck me off the course?"

It's that horrible thing about they're at college and should sort it out themselves, versus but she's only 16.

Bloody hell HSM. I imagine a lot will rest on whether she knew or not. Not sure whether you want to try appealing or not but if it's the HOD can it be referred to deputy principal.

There could be separate rules for different departments. May not be allowed in sports/dance but business studies could be ok. Football rules do not allow for jewellery or taping at all (including the ref although the ref is allowed a watch!)

Oh dear HSM, another thing to deal with. I'm very ignorant about the hazards of piercings but think by this age a little flexibility is needed from School/College and if covering it makes it safe then I can't see the harm.

There seems to be a big difference in what various institutions will and won't accept.

She definitely won't take it out happily. She had taken tape to cover it, but whether she knew it was remove or else in the policy or whether she thought it was ok to cover I'm not sure. Unfortunately the person who told her to take it out was head of department, so she can't even appeal. I've left it with her to deal with. I have said I will come and speak to the teacher of necessary, but can't see how that would help.

DD has just been thrown out of Btec dance because of the cartilage piercing she got before Christmas. She can't take it out until April. I think they are going to say take it out or else. Their policy says remove not cover apparently.