Btech extended certificate worth doing , just for UCAS points?

[Daisy54]

My son just started Year 12 at a 6th Form.

Unfortunately, due to low numbers one of his Btech courses has been cancelled.

Is it worth doing a Btech in a subject that he doesn’t particularly have an interest in, just to get the UCAS points, in case he wants to attend university at some point in the future?

He’s also doing Spanish A level and a Btech extended certificate in Medical Science.

He has been given Health and Social Care as a third option.

Is it possible just to aim for a pass to get extra points, or is that even a lot of work, which may distract him from the other subjects , thus overall lowering his grades?

How much work does a Btech involve?

All Btechs involved a lot of portfolio work. There are less exams to compensate.

Surely he has to do a third subject? His extended cert in medical science is equivalent level to one A level so he either needs to do a 2-A-level-equiv Btec instead of the med science Btec, or add another qualification, either another A level or another single Btec. I cannot imagine college will allow him just to take two subjects. In the same way that a school sixth form cannot allow a student to sit just two A levels.

If he is doing A level Spanish (great stuff!) then he must be pretty able as an MFL A level is a challenge (I mean all A levels are). So could he not take an extra A level?

What was the Btec that has been dropped? As it stands, Btec H&SC fits in pretty well with his other Btec – but what is his overall aim - is he looking for a career in healthcare?

Thank you for your replies.

He does not want to go into Health Care at all, but has only been given that option due to a timetable clash.

His 8 GCSEs grades ranged from grade 5-9. To be honest, I’m not sure if 6th Form will allow him to take on another A level. Good point though.

Will be discussing his options tomorrow with the Head of Year.

However, I hope I’m wrong, but I am beginning to think the school doesn’t really care about the kids. It seems to be about cost cutting and pushing kids into doing subjects that have low class numbers.

So if he is not interested in health care, why has he chosen medical science Btec?

What does he want to do post-18? If he has grades at 7-8-9 at GCSE then he could for sure take an A level in one of those subjects. Subjects that might marry well with Spanish would include English lit, history (lots of history in MFL A-level), other hums subjects like sociology or politics (again lots of social and political issues covered in MFL A level).

Agree with clary, with those grades he could do another A-level. Which other BTECs does the school offer? Maybe "applied human biology" or "applied psychology" or "food science and nutrition" or "sports science" would be of interest?