BTECs starting 2015 - General support thread

Ok, so DD is missing the Jazz element of her btec dance due to her sprained ankle. This cannot be delayed as it is a shared dance with year 13s. The other element that was to be examined next week was choreography, but as that is only year 12s, they are moving it to a later date.

Her teacher said they have 6 assessed elements, but take 8 and dismiss the lowest 2. This simply means DD will only have 7 elements and drop the lowest 1.

She just needs to make sure she gets good results for the others and she'll be fine.

Thanks for all the advice. She was panicking about failing the whole course.

It is hard, I am sorry Gas. I have a friend whose DD has gone completely off the rails, drugs, pregnancy plus left home so have told myself things could be a lot worse when things have been hard.

I would be incredibly pissed off in your shoes but I think if you can hide it and try and be as neutral about it as possible it can help. Think sometimes they are looking for a rise out of you and don't even know why they are, probably something to do with the whole leaving the nest thing.

DD announced yesterday that she's fine speaking to me 3 or 4 times a week when she goes but not all the time. I asked how many times I contact her during the day now (pretty much never) and she said she has friends whose parents didn't contact them then when they left home their Mums started contacting them a lot.

She then said 'I've Googled, it's an actual thing, Empty Nest Syndrome' . No doubt she'll start telling me shut the menopause soon just to rub it in further. Think there's some projection going on and a bit of underlying nagging worries about leaving on her part.

Gas so sorry your ds is struggling - have you put the grades he has got so far into the grade calculator to see where he stands re the uni grade requirements? It may be that if the remaining assignments only need to be passes, he could still make it and knowing this could boost his confidence and he might change his mind about wanting to go.

There again - do you know his grades? it might be an idea for you to do it withuot him knowing and then use the result as a means to shape the conversation one way or another and devise a plan B if need be

Your ds's firm choice have had courses in his subject in clearing most years so they may look favourably if he ends up dropping a grade.

Oh gas light it's so hard. Try and keep the bigger picture in your mind. When DD had a bad time last year, I kept reminding myself she's alive, she's still attending school, she's physically healthy, etc etc.

I just can't believe that we are so close to the end and he has started this.

I haven't told DH as he is so stressed at the moment. He will flipped and am literally scared that he will make himself ill. Consequently I haven't been able to talk properly to DS. He has a meeting with head of department so think I will suggest going out for lunch tomorrow so we can chat in peace

I try and flip things back on DD in situations like these and ask her to think about how she would like to move the situation forward and what it is she actually wants. Sugar - think I will go down that route

It certainly does T&T. It seems to vary from morning to evening on some days here. DD has a count down to the end on her phone.

Oh GasLight, I'm sorry . So hard in these situation. I try and flip things back on DD in situations like these and ask her to think about how she would like to move the situation forward and what it is she actually wants. Half the time it's clear she doesn't know but it puts the focus on her again. Guess it depends a lot on personality type though.

Oh dear gas light. It's so hard for them at just the wrong age I think.

No good here. It was a shock to get a call from the course tutor telling me that he has handed a number of assignments in late and his grades have slipped.

He only has about 4 weeks left. He won't talk to me - apparently I don't understand. He has a meeting with the head of department on Tuesday and he will speak to me then.

Asked he if still wants to go to university and he said he doesn't know.

The dance teacher has come back with a long and complicated email about group work and year 13s and year 12s and previous assessments and changing dates and ........

I need to read it again about 4 times and make it into bullet points I think before I understand it.

Anyway, I hope everyone else is having a stress free approach to the summer. At least doing a BTec has cut down on some of the exam hype we had last year.

I have to contact school. DD has torn ligaments in her ankle and has assessments week after next. Does anyone know what happens if she can't do the assessment?

HSMMaCM Oh no. Hoping she has a speedy recovery

Oh no HSM

No assessments imminently, but it is affecting rehearsals.

DD has sprained her ankle which is not helping with btec dance !

Feel sad on your behalf T & T with the weather

Controlled assessments finished so just the exam to do now and a number of assessmnets

T&T , sorry you came back to rain. Maths revision needs to start here plus the final 3 BTEC projects. That's great her Spanish conversations went well

Hmm, no work has happened as yet. I broached this thorny issue this morning and got a frosty reception. Her boyfriend piped up that he too is worried about her college work scheduling (think he meant lack of ) . She looked pissed off and then said he can nag her but I can't .

BTEC does have advantages!

On a countdown here - DS last term (she says wiping a tear away!)

She is glad to have some coursework out of the way when everyone else is talking about the number of exams they have in a couple of months.

DD has spent a few days in bed and has been 'revising' a lot with friends. She has 2 days in school over the holidays.