Don't want dd to do btec

I am a teacher, I would doubt VERY much if she was being told to take Btec based on her KS2 results, it will be on continual assessment throughout school.

Btecs are OK - they are not worse than GCSE's they are different but equivalent, so perhaps if DD is better at coursework rather than exams then this would be a good choice for her.
In my school we have dropped many GCSE's for Btecs as they suit the majority of our learners in the vocational subjects (PE. ICT etc)
so perhaps as in my school there is no GCSE in that subject?

I did BTEC at 16 in Business (some 20 + years ago) and then went on to study with the ICAEW and qualified as a Chartered Accountant on first attempt. My three best friends who went into sixth form picked up a handful of A levels and then did nothing with them. Not saying a child should be made to do something, it is their options, but please do not undermine BTEC.

I have a child who did really badly at primary school due to lack of help for dislexia and being put on the bottom table and the effect that has on self esteem!!!!
We were told to accept it was lack of inteligence and gcses would not be possible.The first sats were not reached one result working towards and another not being required to take not being considered able to .This same child did not want to take b techs and after changing schools didnt The gcses were passed at good grades and the same pupil is sucessfully taking science a levels Do all you can to support your child and their choices the schools seem to want more children on b techs because they are allowed strangely to claim a btech is the same as 3 or is it 4 gcse exams even though its not a gcse atall!!! My child did start a b tech course and hated all the course work and copying out of books or of the intrnet they seemed to involve

Well done you for getting it sorted, very glad for you and your DD. Most people find exams intimidating, so if that is the only issue then I am sure there is a way to boost her confidence regarding exams, a bit of coaching on exam technique for instance.

My DS is doing a Btec in Performing Arts, he did have the choice of other subjects including GCSE's but he has done the course he has set his heart on and is happy.

I am sorry that your DD is being forced into something that she is not happy to do. My DS has been in a similar situation when 2 o the GCSE's he wanted to do were in the same option block and we wondered which way to go for many weeks.

I personally feel that if children are happy they will learn. My DS has grown so much in confidence since being a secondary school and being able to be noted for his talent in PA, this has had a positive effect on his academic subjects.

It is a difficult one but I definitely do not see that doing a Btec instead of a GCSE pigeon holes you into being less academic that those who chose the other route. We are all different and learn in different ways. x

Southeastastra-sorry you have been upset. For what its worth, my brother did Business Studies BTEC, went on to a respectable university to do a degree in business and finance and is now a fully qualified accountant with BP. I am sure your ds is extremely capable and has chosen the course that is right for him.

toast- just a word of warning- as a mother of teenage daughters - is it possible that the school have suggested this as a potential pathway-rather than telling her she has to do it?

she may have spent all day at school discussing this to death and by the time she comes home it is drama all round?

you might find when you speak to the school that a bit of spin has been put on it.

I think that i would simply write down what she wants to do and send in a letter along the lines of ' i think dd may have misunderstood. Following the meeting about BTEC she now thinks that she is unable to do the following course which is what she wants. please can you reassure me that this is still a possibilty bearing in mind her recent results etc.

I hope that i am right!!!!!

The issue here seems to be the lack of choice and consultation, not GCSEs versus BTec. I think it is outrageous that you and your DD are being told what she is to do. At my DDs school (which is not an exceptional one) we have just had a meeting where all the options were explained to kids and parents, and we have to return a form after half term listing the kids preferences, which includes BTecs and GCSEs. So far as I know, no one is being told that they can't do one subject or another, although I guess there must be some restrictions in there somewhere.

what is the BTEC supposed to be in? what is your problem with a btec?

I think the OP's situation is slghtly different in the fact her Dd hasn't got a choice in the matter and it would appear to be the only optional subject her Dd will be able to do. At my Dd's school they do an option subject a year over the 3 year KS4. Dd had the choice of a wide range of subjects from Btec Performing Arts to a GCSE in Astronomy. All option subjects were offered to all pupils which ever band(pathway) they are on for their core subjects. If I was the OP I would be alarmed especially given the choice of Btec to do, my Dd would be hard pressed to chose one then apply herself properly to it.

DD opted to do a BTEC in Business Studies too. She is in top sets for everything but wanted to find out how businesses operate hence doing this. If she get a good grade this will equate to 2 A*'s just on course work.

I don't think this is a write off. She is also doing more traditional academic GCSE's.

My ds never thought he was thick in fact he was accepted into 6th form with his distinction in music .. he choose to further his music career by going to college instead and I'm very proud of him ..and just for the record none of the other kids thought he was thick either

it's snobtastic

I will tell my ds hes a thick kid shall I? I hate this site sometimes

DS2 was predicted and got Bs and Cs for GCSE and has gone on to A Levels in "proper" subjects and five university offers (from well established universities). He would have felt insulted if he had been told to take BTec instead of 5 GCSEs and judging by the experiences of some of his friends, he might have found it intellectually unfulfilling as well.
Stick to your guns!

vacational -

Would that be Leisure and Tourism?

Vocational.

Many schools, expecially ones which are under huge pressure to increase their A*-C percentage, will provide pathways through KS4 for their students. We do at my school. I don't agree with it myself, but for a child to do a subject they love at GCSE and fail to achieve a C is not acceptable when schools are judged to such an enormous extent on this one measure.

My swchool offers a huge range of vacational subjects, which I am in whole-hearted support of, but I also think children whould be allowed to study the subjects they love even if they aren't going to achieve highly in them. But I don't make the rules. And I can see why my school's management have made the decisions they have.

You need to get in touch with whoever is in charge of options at your DD's school and talk it over with them. Get them to explain their reasoning for your child. Ask them about their 'every child matters' agenda...

And don;t refer to other children as the 'thick kids'.

"thick kids" - oh dear.

We do not even find out what my dd's options are until 11th March.

I moved her from a really good academic school to this one which is pretty crap, truth be told. So I am dreading some kind of stunt like this where kids are shoehorned into doing vocational courses as opposed to GCSEs.

I do not want DD to do BTEC as it is pretty clear that sixth forms and universities do not view them as highly as GCSEs. I too think it is writing kids off at 14.

sea- clearly you and your (fab and clever) son have had the "consultation with parents/children and an explanation of the rationale plus reassurance that it doesn't stymie options for proceeding to further education" that toast and her daughter have not been offered. I'm sorry- but I won't be the only one who has outdated notions that btec is different in kind from GCSE. In my day it was not necessarily the best option for someone who might want to proceed on to A levels and university. Academically it was seen as a less rigorous option and you were likely to be discriminated against when it came to applying for an academic course at college/uni. It could, however, be a great thing to do if you were sure you wanted to follow certain vocational careers. If that has changed, and it sounds like it has from what you say, communication with children and parents is all important.

By southeastastra Mon 15-Feb-10 09:56:11
er ds(16) is doing a BTEC in business, he is in the top set and isn't stupid

Whilst this may be entirely true, and there are cases where BTECs are appropriate, I find it very suspect that the OPs DD is being directed to do 5 core GCSEs they presumably have to do and a BTEC. I suspect, but cannot prove, that they are doing this for less academic children in the hope of upping their pass rate but, as I said, BTECs are not an easy option - they require sustained work and don't suit everyone.

A BTEC in performing arts is an excellent idea if you want to combine music, dance and drama. It's not so great if you want to study pure music at uni. Let's not pretend they're the same as GCSEs - in some cases they can be better but they are not a substitute. I think we need to know which pathway is being recommended and the justification for that.

A BTEC cannot and will not replace a full range of GCSEs. I doubt your son is just doing a BTEC in business, southeastastra, and I suspect it's in place of a business studies GCSE. That kind of subsitution, IMO, is perfectly acceptable. Striking off the OPTION of 3 GCSEs is not.