Reassuring BTEC thread for those who don’t get the GCSE’s they need.

[EddieHowesBlackandWhiteArmy]

I just wanted to start a thread in anticipation of results day tomorrow.

My DD got her results in 2020 and safe to say the CAG’s were not the results she had hoped she would get. They did not permit her to study the subjects at her 6th Form that she really wanted to do. In fact they didn’t get her onto A-Levels full stop.

After a most unpleasant morning she contacted her school and they informed her that all the results qualified her for was admission on to their BTEC courses. She was gutted and honestly, so was I. I am forever grateful to the wise women on the Corona cohort thread who reassured me that BTECs weren’t a dead end qualification. I’m embarrassed now that I even thought that but I was brought up that A-Levels were the be all and end all of qualifications and without A-Levels you’d never get into uni. I was incredibly snobby about BTECS and thought they were for students who weren’t capable of achieving academically.

2 years down the line I wanted to come back and for anyone who might be in a similar position that we were in 2020 reassure them that BTECs have been bloody brilliant for my DD, the constant assessment through coursework and the ability to resist exams throughout the the course of study has really suited her way of learning and she’s achieved fantastic results, earning two distinctions which have given her the equivalent of two A’s at A Level in terms of UCAS points. Last week she got into her first choice uni. She did convince her school to allow her to take one A-Level which she achieved a D In which I think says everything about how BTEC’s can really bring out the best in a pupil.

So I just wanted to reassure anyone who might need to learn about BTEC’s for the first time tomorrow. I knew very little about them and what I thought I knew was a very prejudiced view. In hindsight they’ve been the best thing that could have happened and I wish there had been a similar thread for me on results day in 2020.

Well done to your DD. What did she do the BTEC in if you don't mind me asking? And which Uni and course is she heading to?

She did Sports studies as a substitute for PE A-Level and IT which had never been on her radar but it was the only other realistic choice as the range of courses at BTEC that the school offered were so limited. She discovered a bit of a flair for IT and is now off to study in Liverpool doing Computer Forensics after being offered a place at 4 other universities for the same course.

Genuinely, having to sit BTEC’s was the best thing that could have happened to her. It’s become clear that written exams aren’t her forte and she struggles to replicate the knowledge that she clearly knows in an exam situation and BTEC’s really suited her style of learning. I rave about them to everyone now!

Good to hear.

The snobbery towards non A-level qualifications is sickening

Well done to your dd.

BTecs are a great choice. Suits different learning styles and students can progress to uni or employment.

I hold my hands up that I was deffo a snob towards alternative qualifications. I really wish I’d known at the time just how BTEC’s worked and how great they can be at getting young learners to a place where they can still achieve everything they want to.

I did BTech years ago. HNC, then HND, then converted it to a degree (1year course) in Computer Studies. I had no A levels and was a mature student. Result has been a very successful career. I’m a director and have used my job to move countries.

Fab story Feck. It’s great to hear about those succeeding with slightly less traditional routes.

Great result!

I did a BTEC many moons ago, which led to getting on to a degree and then a career I loved. My friend who did a BTEC too has just finished her Masters.

Like your DD, a BTEC suited my style of learning perfectly.

I'm so pleased for her/you!

my daughter did a BTEC in sport and then went to university and gained a first

My DH did a BTEC after failing everything else, then did a computing degree and is now on a six figure salary in a very senior position.

My DD recently did a BTEC in business and achieved 3 distinctions. She has found the first year of uni workload easier than some of her friends who did A levels as in the BTEC they had to do lots of assignments, presentations, organising events in teams etc. and manage their workload over a long period of time ( being given assignments in advance) and also begin to use referencing for some written work. It does suit her learning style with less exams and more research and written work. The advantage is that you know if you are on track as you go along rather than it all hanging on a couple of 2 hour exams.

However, be aware that there are still some unis and particular courses which do not accept these qualifications so you maybe need to consider that.

Some from her class went onto uni and some went into apprenticeship jobs including accounting ( requiring further study). I was a bit meh at the start about BTECS but it was the best thing for her at the time and has proved to be a great staring point for uni.

DS did a BTEC (Public Services) and became a paramedic
This has enabled him to find his love of travelling / holidays and buy his first place (at 22!)

I thought BTEC's were being phased out in favour of T Levels, or somesuch nonsense?

I think I posted something similar last year. My son, who does not do well in exams, did a computer studies BTec after doing poorly in GCSEs. He has so far completed a degree and a masters in games programming and will be starting a PhD in September.
I'm so glad these alternative qualifications exist.

I'm with you OP on the success BTEC's can bring. I did one myself although that was more to fight against the grammar education I had previously'enjoyed'. I could see A levels would not be the right path for my reluctant student DS when he started Y11 so spent the time researching alternatives. He did brilliantly in an Extended Diploma BTEC and has found the transition to uni much easier than many of his A level taking friends (his BTEC was unrelated to his degree course).

I agree op. Ds has just passed his btec and is off to study computing at his first choice uni. He would never have passed the a levels and all the way through school was being told he wasn’t up to scratch whilst only getting lip service in support of his dyslexia.

Turns out he can talk computer very well! Btec have been ideal for him and I’d recommend anyone to do them.

I think they will go the way of GNVQ.

I've taught BTEC health and social care and as someone with health issues I'd rather a trainee nurse had done a BTEC rather than A Levels.

I've told many students, "you will hate me now but you will thank me at uni" when I have insisted on Harvard referencing.

Agree that T levels wool
likeky go the way of gnvq.

I can spell!

will likely

DD wanted to be an OT, did well in GCSEs but struggled at A level so ended up at local college doing BTEC in Health and Social Care, she got all Distinction*s
She went to Cardiff which is the top uni in the country for OT. She graduated with a first last year. Now works as band 5 OT in London and loving it.

Both my dh and I did the BTEC route, OND then HNC for me, he did HND. Both of us ended up in IT on great salaries.

I positively encouraged both my dd's to do BTEC's, neither of them wanted to go to uni, so A levels just seemed a waste of 2 years in their case.

I'm not really sure why they were ever looked down on.

some great stories here, really lovely to read!

My only issue was that the college DD went had such low expectations.
DD wanted to do Camp America but departure was in early June before the end of the course. She managed to complete her modules a half term early so she could go and as i said above she got all Distinction* and been accepted into Cardiff, UEA , Oxford Brookes and Northampton on interviews.

She went off to CA but i got a phone call asking if she needed help with clearing etc. I got the impression that was the default and they hadnt even looked up the results or her uni application just assumed that she would need help.

I have a similar success story. Ds scraped enough GCSE's to get onto a Btec Music course. Two years later he has just got D star D star D and was accepted onto a range of conservatoire and university courses.

A couple of his Btec coursemate friends had to begin with Level 2 as they failed their GCSE's. One of them has just achieved the same grades at BTEC as ds and is too off to uni on his choice of course.

I’m so pleased for you, I was on the covid cohort threads at the time (different name) and am also a massive fan of BTECs. My DS, who has SENs did 3 BTECs and 3 GCSEs in the same year group, he achieved 556PPM, and has just completed 2xBTEC and 1x A level gaining results equivalent to A*AB, he could never have done this in straight A levels and we are over the moon.