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Secondary education

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Original poster

Lower ability children and GCSEs

29 replies

Hatcat · 04/01/2023 17:16

I don’t have any up to date knowledge of what is available to children in secondary schools so any help would be appreciated. Do children who struggle academically have any options other than GCSEs? My DC are struggling academically and it seems like a gloomy school future for them to constantly find the work too difficult.

OP posts:
TeenDivided · 04/01/2023 18:59

Level 3 BTECs are supposedly being phased out in favour of T-levels, no idea what is happening with level 2s. they need to leave something for the less able kids (my 18yo is on a L1 course right now.)

LeafHunter · 04/01/2023 18:40

BTECs are being phased out I thought?
Very low ability students can do functional skills instead of gcse English and maths but it’s usually 1-2 students per year who hit that criteria.

TeenDivided · 04/01/2023 18:36

OP. You are right. Gloomy. There are still BTECs but for whatever reason fewer schools seem to offer them these days. Even the practical subjects are very theory heavy, e.g. Food Tech.

Patchworksack · 04/01/2023 17:20

School dependent but they often offer more vocational courses which would be BTECs. My sons’ school they have to do Maths, English, Science GCSEs but can pick other qualifications for their options. A lot more options once they get to post16.