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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

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Original poster

Changing BTECH colleges

9 replies

Mummastired · 14/12/2019 11:08

I’m in a bit of trouble, and would appreciate any advice. My DS2 Is not studious. He’s full of fun and consistently says things out loud which really should be kept private. (you get the picture) He left school with only two GCSEs despite me buying every book under the Sun sitting down with him etc etc. So he started a BTECH at college and attended for nearly 2 months, when the boys he sat next to and thought were his new friends attacked him and beaten him up. It was so bad a lady stopped in her car near Twickenham to ask if he was okay. And I received a very distressing phone call from him. It’s hard to hear you lad crying with pain and shock.
Gradually more of the story has been coming out.. He wasn’t always going into college.. The guys were into weed and armed with his new salary from his part time job, were using him as a purse.
So when he started missing lessons and stupid me insisted that he go back after which He was attacked.

He can’t go back to the college. They have promised him next time it will be worse. The college know he has a crime number, but don’t seem to mind he’s not coming back into lessons since the attack. They don’t chase me and I keep missing them and now Christmas is around the corner. It feels like as they’ve been paid by the government for his spot, they really don’t care. And yesterday he just lost his 1st part time job because he didn’t meet his sales criteria. And the world is just falling apart for him.
I’m sorry about My long post. It’s my first. Just to finish off with, he is 16 and we have spoken to the police and have a crime number. But I’m more interested in a way forward for him to move colleges or anything to keep him busy and moving forward. Very much look forward to hearing from you❤️

OP posts:

Paperyfish · 14/12/2019 11:15

I’m not sure about the college- was your son involved in drugs too? Were they smoking on campus? My dd college has a zero tolerance policy on drugs and all would have been instantly dismissed.
My college only got funding for learners who completed.
If he doesn’t want to go back- although the college should have a plan in place for how they’ll protect him- then would he consider an apprenticeship instead?

Original poster

Mummastired · 14/12/2019 11:26

I think he might have been at the initial stages of involvement. He has apparently shared a weed cigarette. But that’s it. I know he’s not involved in drugs because he’s hasn’t left the house since. And I don’t think they do it on campus. They walk off at lunchtime and then smoke the stuff somewhere on a field.
Yes there was talk about protecting him, putting him into a different stream. But I don’t want to put him in harms way. They all walk through the same gates or get off at the same station. Particularly as he received an out of the blue un solicited phone call from a boy he knew in primary school. So I think this group of boys are trying to reach out to find him.
So I can say he is 100% not involved in drugs and he is not going back to that particular college. Do you think that any other colleges will take him. Particularly as we are now in December? I don’t know what to do with him. 🙁

OP posts:

Paperyfish · 14/12/2019 11:31

I know in the course I used to teach that we wouldn’t take some one in to the course this late on as they’d have missed too much. Unless maybe they had been doing the same course else where- although if he’d been skipping lessons then is he behind anyway?
We did accept student that had left other college for numerous reasons- including exclusions.

Paperyfish · 14/12/2019 11:32

It might be easier for him to start over in sept tbh- call it a fresh start? Could he do a couple gcse somewhere this year so he’s doing something useful?

Elodie2019 · 14/12/2019 11:39

I agree, start somewhere new in September. In the meantime, get English and Maths GCSE at a different college if he hasn't already and clean up his act.

He has apparently shared a weed cigarette. But that’s it.
Please don't be naive. If he has a crime number and has been working as a purse, he's involved far deeper than this!

Stillabitemo · 14/12/2019 12:01

Does he have GCSE English and Maths?

If not I would contact other local colleges and get him enrolled to sit those qualifications in summer.

He can then start another BTEC either at that college or a different one.

Original poster

Mummastired · 14/12/2019 14:30

Yes, I guessed as much, I have been looking for the same Btech course, but as you say he may have missed too much. So I’ll try and get him somewhere to sit English, but even that’s late. I think he is going to waste a whole academic year. Does any one know if there are any careers/college advisors that I might be able to speak to, with him?

OP posts:

Lightuptheroom · 14/12/2019 15:16

Your local authority may have a NEET advisor (not in education, employment or training) who could advise.

MollyButton · 15/12/2019 08:57

I know in my area the NEET advisor could arrange for you to do English and Maths either in a specialist class or by home learning at this stage, and would ensure that your son had "protection" when actually sitting the exams.

I would also go to the GP and try to get the process started of seeing if your son has a missed SN.

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