IT BTEC help - so confused

[MrsSnoops]

Hello,
I have a lovely DS who is in year 11. He is bright and has a good knowledge but doesn't achieve particularly well on exams. He is likely to get 5's and 6's with maybe some 7's.

To be honest all we have been thinking about are A Levels as that is the only route I know of and he is planning to do Maths, Physics and CS.
I am not sure how well he will do at A level or if he will get the GCSE's needed to do them, but he is working hard to do so.

His passion is coding and programming. It is what he does in his spare time, he can spend hours doing it and it's what he wants to do as a job.

So today I have seen BTECs in IT and suddenly there is a whole other option opened up to him. He would still be able to do a degree if he wants to, but I am hoping it might be more suited to his skills than A-Levels which are so academic.

I can't seem to find a clear list or information about what BTECs in IT are available. Are there more than one, just one at different levels? Are there different specialisms?

Thanks so much.

This isn't easy to find out, is it? I went to the British Computer Society assuming they would list out these kinds of qualifications but all they had were the kind of qualifications they offer themselves.

I think there is a BTEC specifically in programming - it's mentioned here on the Pearson website. Shipley College offer it (I appreciate that may not be very helpful for you!) and the description does sound like it would really suit him.

A levels are pretty academic, has he had a chance to do any taster lessons yet? (I can't remember when that happened, my ds is now in Y12). If you can find a college near you that's offering either the BTEC in IT or the BTEC in software development, I'd definitely encourage him to go to an open day and check it out.

Our local college does Computer Science L3 which looks quite good.
Note a number of computer science degrees require Maths A level but I'm pretty sure there are places that don't.

In general you would be looking for a Level 3 BTEC. Level 3 is the same academic level as A levels.

Then you would either have an Extended Diploma which is 'equivalent' of 3 A levels, or a Diploma which is the equivalent of 2 A levels. If he goes to a college that does BTECs and A levels they may be more likely to offer a Diploma, allowing 1 A level (eg maths) to be done along side. There is also a Certificate which is 1 A level equivalent.

Going back to the Extended Diploma the grades would go from PassPassPass (PPP) which is the same UCAS points as 3xE at A level, to Distinction Distinction Distinction which is around 3xA/A at A level (can't remember exact equivalences).

Just like the combined science gives grades going from 4-4, 5-4, 5-5, 6-5, 6-6 the Extended Diploma goes from PPP, MPP, MMP to DMM, DDM and then D D D all the way to D D D
Merit-Merit-Merit is the same UCAS as 3xC iirc.

There are so many strings to computer science / IT you do need to look at course descriptions carefully. Where there are optional units for the college to choose from, make sure you know which they pick.

Personally I'd try to find something that gave a good grounding in a number of key areas rather than something that appears too specialised straight away.

Hi! My DS is coming to the end of BTEC 2 IT with KanduIT and they have been wonderful. He will want to do the BTEC 3 with them next. It is an online course and concentrates on the Hardware, Configuration and bug fixing side of the subject. You need kit at home - but old stuff, grandads leftovers, used eBay kit etc is fine, you just have to have enough to demonstrate builds and upgrades.
He is also studying igcse computer science which is more the programming side ( you can do this online too if you want) and then he’ll do A level
These things can be done alongside school subjects I’d he is keen and the school has trouble offering it. My DS’s old school suspended computer studies for a couple of years, and like your son
, mine had a real leaning in this direction - missing out on his best subject was not ok.
Because ‘A’ level computer science is supposed to be hard, does not necessarily mean that someone with a natural leaning towards coding with find it overly academic in the same way that they would find more traditional subjects. Having said that DS’s experience of BTEC has been so positive that I think you could end up spoilt for choice.
The thing DS has no experience in as yet, is how these qualifications might help in accessing further education or apprenticeships. Fingers crossed someone will be able to comment more on that.

Don't rule out the Alevel if he's confident programming already and gets the grades for the course, it might suit him. DS is doing A level computer science. He too codes for fun and taught himself several languages before college so this has been a massive advantage in the A level as while others are learning basics he's up and running and can spend time on the things he finds harder. There is a lot of material that they need to learn through rote learning. DS is dyslexic with memory issues, so this means he can give more time to this part. There is also a programming project done as coursework and counts towards their grade, so being into the programming side of it is a massive advantage.

Thanks everyone. I’m not actually concerned about the CS a level. I have more concerns about maths. He has ability in maths but struggles to consistently get high grades. He understands maths well, but it’s the issue with exams and memory retrieval. I’m concerned A levels are GCSEs is steroids and if he is struggling with how GCSEs are (not the content but the form) then A levels will be even harder.

You dont need Maths A level to do a CS degree. There are plenty of Unis where it is not required, including Russell Group ones.

My partner failed his a level computer science went onto do btech computer science then topped up to a degree now heads up the cyber security department of a multinational company that supplies an essential service in the UK. He says btech was more helpful and having a good background knowledge of coding languages

I'm totally out of my depth with computer science but my ds had a similar issue with A levels. He got a grade 8 in his GCSE music and could have coped with A level music but he got 4's and 5's in everything else.

He is in the second year of a Music Btec L3 Extended Diploma and is on course for DDD.

Thanks everyone. I think I’m beginning to get my head around it all.
Can’t believe I didn’t realise this was an option. A levels seem to be pushed so much.

I think it depends on the school @MrsSnoops. I had a similar feeling when I started working in FE many years ago, and suddenly realised that instead of being sent off on a YTS when he was 16, my non-academic brother should have been encouraged to go on to FE college to do BTECs. Our school only cared about A-levels and only really cared about people who were going to Oxbridge, and I was shocked when I realised how badly he had been let down. Any school which fails to give its students the best opportunities to develop is a failing school (in fact it was rated Outstanding and it definitely was not )

My ds' school by contrast offers BTECs as well as A levels, and we have a vocational college in the city that will take students from age 14 onwards. Which is absolutely as it should be.

@MrsSnoops I was going to echo @Comefromaway's comment.

I think at some point (averagely) it could be better for DC to do a BTEC rather than A-levels.
To advise on that part of it (I know your original question wasn't really that) you'd need to say what DC may be looking at for grades for Maths, Physics and CS.

E.g. if a 5 for Maths, then firstly the school may not even allow them to take Maths A-level. And even with a 6 DC may struggle to get an above average grade.

It may be the case here that DC could get better 'results' doing a BTEC rather than A-levels.
E.g. No point getting ADD at A-level, when may be able to get Distinctions at BTEC (in a narrower, loved, subject), and have the opportunity of getting on more degrees.

As mentioned by PP, quite a lot of CS degrees won't need Maths A-level. And based on, say, getting a 6 in Maths GCSE, then with-the-best-will he prob won't be applying for degrees that require Maths A-level anyway.
For degree he could lean towards Software Development/Engineering, i.e. more programming.
www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/courses/details/applied-software-engineering-bsc/55906006
Example above doesn't need Maths A-level, BBB at A-level and DDM (Distinction/Distinction/Merit) at BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma.

Example of my local college for BTEC:
www.yorkcollege.ac.uk/study/computer-games-development-extended-diploma-level-3

thanks everyone. I think he would do better doing a BTEC, i.e. like @stubiff says he would be more likely to get high grades at BTEC. I can't see him getting very high grades at A level, not because he isn't clever, but he isn't someone who can jump through hoops. He has ADHD and his mind is very curious, but not great at being restrricted by exam questions and the curriculum. It is just not exciting to him.

I have spoken to him and he is open to looking at it and we are going to see somewhere that looks great for this on Thursday, but I know he has only really thought about A levels and wants to be like his friends and this curve ball has thrown him a bit.

I am guessing we can apply for both A levels and BTEC and then see what grades he gets and maybe how he feels come results day.

My DS has autism.

It was a bit easier for him in that most schools in this area don’t have 6th forms so almost everyone goes to one of two local colleges who offer both a levels & btecs.

I actually feel very excited by this. Watching him try and succeed in mainstream education for years has been very frustrating - that there might be an option open to him that would suit him more is very exciting.

All the best with your decisions

This is why it’s so important to fight to retain btecs.

Will T levels be very different?

My son did a L3 extended BTEC focussing on programming and gaming, he then went onto Uni and did a degree in games development and design and now is a VR software developer, try and help him think which direction he wants to go in and see if there is a course that fits with that.

The problem with T-levels at the moment is not a lot of Unis accept them.

If he’s getting level 5’s and above there’s no reason why he can’t do A levels? Dd is in her second year of a computing A level and says most of it is coding so he should find it a breeze if coding is his thing, my dd is predicted a A* and it’s not even her favourite subject, she’s found it pretty easy compared to her other subjects and the work load hasn’t been huge.

My other dd has been doing a computing BTEC over 3 years (she’s in a SEN school) but I don’t know enough about it to say if it’s any easier than doing A level.

And both my dc are on the spectrum.

@Lovemusic33
I think many would say that A-levels are hard if only having 5 at GCSE.
OP's DS wants to do Maths and Physics at A-level, as well, which are hard and usually require higher grades at GCSE.
Our local college, even, requires a 6 at GCSE to do Maths A-level.

Generally I read that a 7 at maths GCSE is a minimum for successfully doing it at A level. Given how cumulative maths is, if you have only got as far as a 6 at GCSE that is a lot of GCSE level you haven't mastered / been taught.