BTECs starting 2015 - General support thread

Hmm, I have to keep remembering DD doing a Cambridge Technical not a BTEC so must actually read up on marking scheme.

Hope they were all ok yesterday and got home on the buses eventually. By a stroke of luck DD's school bus is the same number she as the public bus DD has been catching home from school. Tell your DD that another little one is coming to boost the shorter person numbers T&T !

TeenandTween have a look here to see how the btec is graded. The grade calculator is especially good for keeping tally

My DS has a C grade GCSE profile (inc E and M) and had a minimum target grade of Distinction, Merit, Merit. However, he finished year one with all distinctions - so don't read too much into the target.

They need to be aiming to hit every mark descriptor on the assignment. Be they passes, merits or distinctions. Just missing one can bring the mark right down, even to a fail if you simply miss one pass criteria. It sounds complicated - its not - just go for every point available!! I haven't had to get involved with my sons as he seems to know exactly what he has to do but, if he didn't, I would be getting his tutor to show him how the mark scheme works so he could understand how each assignment criteria is important.

My DS has his first day back today so hoping it goes really well for him - and all your DCs too.

I have had a string of frantic texts this morning as my DD was standing at the wrong bus stop! She has always been able to walk to school before, (and if she wants to go to the town center), so she isn't very sure about using the bus, but I have repeatedly tried to tell her where to stand, and we went out of our way to drive the bus route on Saturday. I would have liked a text to say she had arrived after the bus stop fiasco, but am thinking that the silence means she is there.So, looking forward to hearing all about it tonight.

As DD not going today I keep forgetting others are. Good luck to everyone

I'm not quite with you either, bit of a learning curve this !

DS is back tomorrow and is gutted that lessons will be spread over 5 days this year as opposed to the 2.5 days last year!!

To anyone is worried about independent studying you may be surprised. I was extremely worried but my DS has done really well and if he carries on as he did in the first year he will come out with 3 D*s.

Check what marks they are getting for their assessments - I know that sounds a bit obvious but you need to be querying the grade if it is a pass or merit. Some assignments you can only get a pass or a merit but on others it is possible to get a distinction. One bad mark won't be the end of the world and it could happen at the beginning as they get used to how BTEC works. My DS did BTEC sport at school so he knew what was expected.

It is really important for students to understand as if they don't they could be busting a gut but they won't get the higher grades. Sorry to keep harping on about that

Hope that makes sense

Good luck to everyone

That makes sense of something Travel Lady said, thank you. She'll be less worried if she knows how it works. Bus lady has diarised my email then will check daily and let me know as soon as I can pay online. I've just looked at enrichment list and decided I might go back to College.

DD will be having pack lunch and wants a soup thermos. But on her first day I'll give her a fiver or thereabouts.

Nothing. My DS makes his own packed lunch and he is a water drinker. We give him free reign in the supermarket as it suits us big time. He likes pretty healthy stuff though which is why he started it - his mates just hit macdonalds each day.

Thats the problem with college...they find other retail outlets!

That's a bit of a pain, an hour Eatyourveg That's great to hear BestisWest!

T&T that's helpful, thanks. 3 of her friends are going and I think one has shown her the list, she muttered about something, will definitely check that. The Travel Lady has been hugely helpful and we're seeing her when we're there on Tuesday. It might take a few days until her ID shows on the system apparently so a delay in sorting (unless I wanted to pay in one go which I firmly don't!) but she will still luckily be able to go on the bus. I didn't go on the open evening so will be good to get to see it next week.

Media obviously.

DS is just going into his second year of a Creative Nedia BTec. He loves it.

Ds's L3 extended diploma covers 540 guided learning hours which over the 38 weeks of the academic year gave an average of just over 14 hours per week. Most BTEC courses in the college where I work (not where ds is) are delivered over 3 days.

His timetable this year is 16 hours with Thursdays completely free which is fine as he has booked his driving lessons for first thing, and a shift at each of his part time jobs for the afternoon and evening.

Tuesdays don't look good though. He only goes in for an hour right in the middle of the day! I'm trying to persuade him to go with his friends to ask if it can be changed so that they can make the most of work experience opportunities.

DD very excited as day off again tomorrow as we've sent email advising school she is leaving and isn't enrollng until Tuesday. She'll miss the Induction days and didn't do the taster day so will be steep learning curve at beginning but will have to cope.

Course info states 15 teaching hours a week, how that translates into timetable no idea yet. I know that the Sports BTEC got day off last year and this year L2 Photography is 3 days.

DD may also need to stay in all day due to bus but last year our route had a lunchtime bus you could pay extra for, no idea if will be the same. I think a fair bit of her work will be group work and she'll need college equipment for a lot too. We will also need that discussion about time management...

Hello! More Btec-ers!

DD2 starts level 3 film and TV tomorrow. She did the level 2 media last year and got on brilliantly (got Distinction).

Anyone else surprised at the timetable? My DS only has 1 full day and 3 half days at college. He has not been great at independent study, I fear he will be sleeping/messaging friends when he's home alone.

I was being being cryptic sorry! DD might indeed be joining your DD. Will have to see what next week brings...