BTECs starting 2015 - General support thread

Hello, can I join please? DD currently doing a BTEC alongside 3 Alevels plus resitting Maths, which is not a sensible workload for her. She's not really enjoyed beng back at school and has a place on a L3 Cambridge Technical Media course, just needs the late enrollment interview next Tuesday.

I think it will suit her better but she's currently a bit nervous about the size of the College and slightly undecided.

T&T she will probably be walking past your DD if she goes, remembering something we said on a previous thread.

Nicole that is great that DD got the apprenticeship and the BTEC

Had a look around there doesn't seem to be any Food Tec type courses other than A levels in our county. However many unis seem to accept Btec as entry requirement or offer HND in similar studies.

Where i live there is the choice of sixth form college or the local tech. People are very snobby about and think think the sixth form is so much better.

When my DS was looking he only wanted to go to look at the sixth form (he did already have an offer from a college out of area) and I made him go to the tech. The difference in the attitude of the staff. The ones at sixth form looked as if they didn't want to be there. The staff at the tech were so enthusiastic about the course. What a difference and my DS chose the tech. It has been a good decision as he on target for top marks

So don't rule out anywhere until you have visited.

Lemon My DD did food technology and also food and nutrition A level as she enjoyed the subjects but the local tech only did vocational catering qualifications. Unfortunately her other choices were not good and it it ruined her time st college and affected her final grades (got Cs so not bad but she now admits it could have been better) in the food subjects. She did enjoy the food side and it certainly helped in a training course at work where she got almost full marks as it was like revision for her!

The maths teacher has implied that A level is not a good idea but what have the other teacher said? It is possible to do a combination of BTEC and A levels.

It might be an idea to ask your DD what she might be interested in if she did go to university and have a look to see what results they want. It will help in picking what subjects to study.

Happy researching

(sorry I got cut off)........apprenticeships.

What other extra curricular does the college offer.

Yes they will be selling their courses. Ask about the units they cover and then do some independent research: ask on here, get your DC to ask on student room, look up the unit detail online.

Ask the college what their average GCSE point intake is to the course and what percentage get DDD or better on leaving. Where do their students go? What Unis? What courses? What jobs or

Thanks Ellen, will look into Cambridge Technical .

Thanks Kez. I will ask questions at the open evenings at college, I'm just afraid they'll be 'selling' their courses and might not be impartial. There's really only one college locally that DS2 would be able to travel to independently which is a shit reason for choosing it, but unfortunately I have to be pragmatic. I work in a school and am on my own so can't give him a lift. His ASD makes him very anxious on public transport.

I think Cambridge Technical is similar to BTEC. BTEC is Edexcel, and Cambridge technical is run by another exam board.

Thanks ladies/mums. I do want to encourage dd to do uni later on but just not sure if A levels are for her. Her maths teacher said she can get an A or B in GCSE through hard work so implied that A level maths will not be a wise choice. However dd likes bio, chem, food tec. For many years our local FE only offers Catering type couses so it will not be what she wants. We dont live in london so public transports arent great. Thats partly the reason i started looking now so by the end of yr9 we will have a better idea what to expect.

My DD did an art and design BTEC in photography. She applied to four Uni courses and received four interviews. After interview, she knew exactly the one she wanted and, luckily, they gave her an unconditional offer and scholarship. She is about to go into year 2.

Some art degree courses recommend A level students do a foundation course first to give them the quality required in their portfolio but it does depend. I don't think it matters that much - one more year of education can't be seen as negative really.

On my DDs degree course the A level students were (generally) better prepared for essays and the BTEC students better prepared for research, extended workbooks and practical techniques. They were also joined by some more mature students with all sorts of qualities and skills. The first year gave them all time to "catch up" on the areas they needed to.

lemon - rather than looking at the subject areas that BTEC offer, you are best contacting your local providers, as a number of them will not be available at every centre due to staffing.

GasLight - the difference between the courses are the content taught/assessment criteria; they all work in the same basic manner

Fifi Don't know much (read nothing!) about the art and design courses but I get the impression that BTEC courses are much more relevant than 'A' levels.

As far as not knowing anyone there will be a lot of students in the same position.

Hope your DD enjoys it.

My DD also did very well in her GCSE's and could have stayed on for A levels at her secondary school. But art and design is her passion, Product design was withdrawn as an A level option, so in many ways the decision to start again at a college where she doesn't know anyone was taken out of her hands. It is what she wants to do, will give her a qualification that is acceptable to unis (if she goes down that route). So now we are looking forward to finding out exactly what it all involves.

My son's college allowed him to keep his options open and he applied for A levels and knowing he would do IT if he didn't pull off great grades. However, he always loved sound of the IT course so, even if he had got the GCSE grades, he may well have ended up doing the BTEC.

Anyway, he didn't pull off the higher grades, he ended up a C grade profile, so happily joined the BTEC IT. He has loved it and done very well and is buzzing to go back and hopes to secure an apprenticeship. He is being joined (although they are year 1) by two friends who started A levels last year with slightly better GCSE grades than he did (B profile) and did get D's, E's and U's this year at AS level.

EllenJane we will need to compare notes on ICT courses. dd is taking a Digital Media based level 2 course which she is enjoying and has been busy designing websites and computer games. She starts Y11 next year. So we are looking for a local college that has a level 3 equivalent if possible. Local sixth form college offers Cambridge technicals is this the same as a BTEC?
As well as looking at what the courses offer, I would also ask about progressions routes some would be better for students who are very good at Maths for example.
lemon888 some sixth forms insist on a high grade at Maths for science A levels so BTECs would suit a child who is good at Science but not strong enough at Maths to take A level.

EllenJane

Speak to the College (they often have open days/evenings in the term coming up) about what they offer in terms of IT. Also, if there is more than one college locally offering it, then visit them all so the student can decide which one they would prefer to attend and the modules they would prefer to cover.

My son's course was "advertised" as two IT courses and he didn't know which one to pick - however, in reality, the first year everyone did and it covered allsorts. Then, in the second year they choose the stream they prefer to follow. That is where they "split" into the two courses, so it's not something they need to decide until they have some idea of how they are getting on.

I can not believe how snobby people are about BTECs and that includes the This thread is just what we need. My DS is just going into his second year and loves it.

Fifi BTEC is very different to 'A' levels. My DS did BTEC Sport at school so he understood how it worked before starting college. Cricketballs advice is good as they really do need to understand the marking works. I would contact the one of the tutor and ask if you can go in and have it all explained. Then ask your DD how it works. It should match.

Cricketballs Are there a any differences between subjects? Just wondering if I make a comment from my DS experience it won't be relevant to another course.

lemon888 Your DD (and you) need to stand your ground of BTEC is the way she wants to go. I know your DD is not looking at unis the moment but a lot of unis will accept BTECs although the likes of Oxford etc won't (another argument to use for your DH).

Good luck to everyone.

TeenandTween my dd s very good with bio, chem,eng lan, art, ict, food t and ok at maths. She can write very well but not a keen reader. She s not competitive but good at time managemet, reliable so i think something vocational will suit her. But my dh is the snobbish one he worships A levels and unis. So I am expecting a very difficult argument with dh in a few years time. That s why i started to prepare myself with all the info now.

cricketball may I ask you if you know where i can find a list of btec and hnd courses and colleges? I dont think dd will want to do catering. But she alway like food technology, biology and chemistry so i think FT Btec is her thing plus she dosent have burning desire to go to uni. I think some thing more vocational and practical will suit her better.

I'm a year behind you all, but my DS2 is going into Y11 and I'm definitely looking at BTECs for him for next year. His talents are in IT, but there are so many IT options, we're at a bit of a loss. There's software development including games and apps, system support, interactive games design, forensic computing...

He has ASD and is not good at social skills but gets very absorbed by computing. His GCSEs include one in computing and one in ICT and so far he's doing very well in ICT, not quite so well in computing. I can't see him being very helpful in a system support role!

It's new to me, I did traditional A levels as Fifi above then university and DS1 is heading down that route. I feel I can advise him (not that it's wanted!) but have less idea about the college route. DS2 works well if interested, not so well if not and finds revision difficult to organise. Dreading GCSE year, TBH.

Thanks TeenAndTween for posting this thread. It s soooooo nice and relaxing to know that even in mumsnet not every dc s got a place from Oxbridge or 13As in GCSEs or A levels As and As. Although my dd s only in year 8 already I have been doing some research in Food Technology in Btec or HND courses. Just in case if she doesnt have enough passes. I thought i m going mad.

Hi can I join in? My DD is also starting a BTEC this September. Having gone down the traditional route myself, "O" levels and then "A" levels, I really don't feel that I know that much about them. I have looked on the Edexcell website, but feel none the wiser. Anyway, hopefully she will be well advised by college and enjoy doing just the one subject which she loves.