Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Are BTECs becoming the new CSEs now that GCSEs are becoming more academic?

30 replies

lasermum · 11/01/2016 17:06

DS2 is in year 9 and we are starting to look at options for his GCSEs or that is what I thought. However, at his recent parents evening a number of teachers said that BTECs may be more appropriate for him ( science and PE).

DS2 is not particularly academic - other teachers mentioned he was heading for a level 5 in the new grades.

So are BTECs the qualification for the less academically able now? I just want him to feel happy in his choices and be able to study something meaningful when he gets to the sixth form.

He has no real idea what he wants to do in the longer term (apart from living in a campervan spending his days coaching and being on the water, surfing, windsurfing and sailing!)

I don't know much about BTECs so any feedback much appreciated.

OP posts:
TeenAndTween · 13/01/2016 19:26

For an example of outdoor adventure course see here

Original poster
lasermum · 13/01/2016 19:23

Thank you for your thoughtful replies. Not sure I would call DS2 hardworking (!) but I think a mix of BTECs and GCSEs would be good for him.

Will definitely investigate 'outdoor pursuits' as an option for after GCSEs.

OP posts:
mummytime · 12/01/2016 07:30

BTECs are also becoming more academic! They now include final exams.

bojorojo · 11/01/2016 17:35

CSEs were not linked to work - and I am old enough to remember them! I think BTECs provide a valuable lead-in to a career which level 5 (about a C grade) may not provide in certain subjects. I would ask again about the science and PE regarding what the differences are between the courses.

I think it is inevitable that GCSEs will be slightly more elite at the top end but that does not mean students are wasting their time getting a 5. Regarding a career, there is absolutely no disgrace in teaching sailing or any water sport! I would start looking into how this can be accomplished. He may change his mind of course but no harm checking it out. It may well be he is best served doing what he is good at. I would also check to see if BTEC PE is a better qualification for being a water sport instructor or whether the GCSE in PE is better. Incidentally, the DS of a friend of mine is crew on a super yacht that belongs to a well known Hollywood director. He loves his job!

I also think vocational BTECs have never been considered as good as A or A* GCSEs and are not offered at all at most top performing schools. Never have been. So, no change really.

TeenAndTween · 11/01/2016 17:24

My DD didn't do any BTECs for GCSE level but is doing a BTEC and an A level at 6th form.

BTECs appear to suit hard working kids who can produce good work in their own time, but who may struggle to revise loads of info or to reproduce it under exam conditions.

I think there is a lot to be said for a less academic kid doing 1 or 2 BTECs. Provided they are hard working, they can gradually pass it throughout the 2 years. Then when they get to summer of y11 they will have the added benefit of fewer exams to take and fewer exams to revise for, meaning that they have more time to focus on remaining academic subjects. Especially with the new GCSEs having fewer CAs along the way, the emphasis on the exams will be even more marked.

An added potential benefit is they (and you) learn how a BTEC works on a level 2 course, so it's not a big shock if they choose to do a level 3 course at 6th form.

As an aside, the is an 'Outdoor Pursuits' BTEC that you may like to look into for your DS for after GCSEs.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.