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.

Hi Equally, you may well have been there at the same time as me, I’ve had about ten name changes since then but I’m massively grateful to that thread for informing me what was what re BTEC’s.

I would have been, I started posting regularly around the time the exams all got cancelled. I've always had ED names but change them often.

Great thread. I was also on the 2020 threads and have a DS with ASD/ADHD who completed a BTEC alongside 2 A levels and got D*BB. He has also got into his first choice university.

His story is slightly different in that he actually got strong GCSE grades via CAGs and did have the grades for A levels, but opted to swap one A level for a BTEC as the BTEC subject really interested him, and he liked the idea of having one non-exam subject alongside the A levels.

I was another one who was a bit cynical about them originally and was nervous about how he'd manage the project work (his ADHD is quite severe and he can be a champion procrastinator) but actually it all worked out really well. He struggled to revise effectively for his A levels, though achieved good grades in the end, and it definitely helped to have one subject 'in the bag' already when it came to exam time.

I also think the two years of having to balance ongoing course assessment work for one subject, alongside 'typical' exam prep for two others, should be very helpful experience for university study.

The one note of caution I would sound is to be aware of the L3 BTEC certificate grading scale, which I hadn't fully appreciated when DS started out. Distinction star or distinction for L3 BTEC equates to an A level A* or A in terms of UCAS points, which is great. However, if they don't make distinction then the next grade down is merit, which equates to an A level grade C, and then pass, which equates to an E. There is no B or D equivalent as far as I am aware. Just something to bear in mind. But otherwise I would highly recommend BTEC study.

Good luck to all our DC, they have all achieved so well against this mad crazy backdrop of the pandemic and so much disruption.

No idea why half of that ended up in italics, sorry! Wasn't intentional!

Several years back now, my DD chose to do a L3 BTEC extended diploma despite doing really well in her GCSEs. She knew she wanted to do music and didn't see the point of doing three A-Levels. There was quite a bit of snobbery about her choice but we fully supported it as we could completely see her logic! The course was really good and well taught. I loved the fact it gave her a good insight whether the music industry was for her, and that all her hard work across both years was taken into account rather than just exams. While her friends were stressing with exams, my DD was pretty relaxed as she had already completed all her units. She got Distinction*, the equivalent of three A-levels. She got into her first choice University and they also offered her a small financial grant because of her marks! She's now in her second year and working part-time in music production. So for us a L3 course has opened many doors and proved to be a great choice.

I hope that helps!

That's amazing. Do you mind me asking where she is studying?

Great thread OP.

My DS1 is going to do a BTEC in September and when he first said he was considering it I was rather disappointed. I then discovered that actually they are A Level equivalents, and the structure of the course would actually suit my arty, techy boy far better that academic subjects.

He did OK in his GCSE's. Three 4's and three 6's but if anything it has shown me that although he is a bright boy, dry academic study is just not for him.

My now 20 year old did a BTEC in engineering and got into Bath university to study electrical engineering. A BTEC is by no means of any lesser value than A levels. I did a vocational course instead of A levels and went on to do a degree and now a Masters.

Yay loads more feel good BTEC stories. I concur about the benefit of having some grades in the bag meaning the pressure was off when it came to revision time as she wasn’t trying to cover all three subjects.

This is a great thread and will help DD very much actually as it sounds like BTECs will suit her style of learning more, perhaps.

Could I ask was it the extended btec? They are equivalent to 3 A levels. So no maths A level required?

The one note of caution I would sound is to be aware of the L3 BTEC certificate grading scale, which I hadn't fully appreciated when DS started out

Oh yes.

The way assignments are written they will have Pass, Merit and Distinction catagories. If a Student gets all the pass grades, all of the distinction grades but misses a merit they only get a Pass.

There is usually an opportunity to 'grade up'.

The P,M and D criteria are often 'identify, explain and analyse.

So most BTECs have a 'health and safety' component, the content differs depending on subject.

So when I'm teaching it, if I have the space / equipment I will create a disaster zone. A resus doll in a hospital bed smoking with an oxygen mask, electric cables trailing across the floor, plastic poo in the sink etc. So the 'identify' is the student coming into the room and just identifying the risks that I tick off on a check list.

The student then needs to do written work to explain why each thing is a hazard and then and analyse the hazard.

So a mopped floor which is still wet but no one puts a yellow warning triangle is a risk, explaining is that someone could trip, analyze would be to say you could lessen the risk with a yellow triangle but someone could still slip, a blind person may not see the triangle etc etc.

I need your help please!
Great thread and so lovely to read of so many successes from the BTec route! I have a thread running in AIBU (needed the traffic!) and desperately need advice please as we go to college this morning to supposedly enrol! My DS has achieved well in his GCSEs (one 4, some 5s, some 6s) and has applied for an engineering course BUT it’s only a Level 2. They don’t seem to do a Level 3, only a T Level which he feels is far too academic for him and not what he wants. Is the Level 2 going to waste his time and he’ll need to then study again for a Level 3 or can he still do well with the Level 2? I’m feeling so lost as to how best to support him in this.
Just to add he’s seen a Level 3 music production course he really likes the sound of (he’s taught himself how to DJ and has had a couple do gigs and a big one coming up this weekend), but is this more of a hobby and he needs to do something ‘real’ like the engineering?!

Help!!

The college will be able to advise him. What subjects did he get the 6s in? If maths and physics were lower he might struggle with the T level but a year at level 2 would remedy that and he could start the T level next year. When DS was doing college open days we were told that it wasn't unusual for students to take a L2 course for a year even if they did meet the grade requirements for level 3 especially if the subject was one they hadn't studied before. The music production one possibly limits career options a bit more but he clearly has a passion for music, he needs to look at course content very carefully though.

Thanks for the reply. Maths and Sciences were 5s (annoyingly he got over 30 marks above the marks for the 5 in Foundation after debating for ages about foundation or higher. He would have got 6s in Higher I’m sure!). He really doesn’t fancy the T level though. The level 2 course is a 2 year course so he wouldn’t be able to do anything different after a year. His college just seems to have a very ‘bums on seats’ mentality and I’m not certain they will advise on what’s best for him and I think they’ll just say the level 2 is ‘fine’ (as I don’t think they have a level 3 option) so I’m feeling really lost.

@Rummikub yes he didn't do A level maths. He would have needed that for mechanical engineering but didn't for electrical (which was fine as that's what he wanted to do).

Are there any other colleges nearby?

I think he should be looking at a level 3 course.

Things are happening with T Levels, the government are pulling funding for BTEC where there is a T Level in the same or similar subject.

But T Levels are brand new and colleges are finding it hard to get things like work placements. Employers and universities know and like BTEC.

I suspect the college are hoping T Levels bomb (Do you remember GNVQ, VCE and '14 - 19 diploma'? they all went out like a damp squib) then they can put him on a Level 3 BTEC next year.

Yes, I've heard that the work placements thing is tricky with T levels, especially in more rural areas with fewer big employers and less public transport for students to get to the placements.

Btec health and social care has a lot of work placements, sobit cant be entirely new to the colleges

@OddGoingsOn what does your son want to do in the future? Is he looking to become an engineer or does he want to go into music? If you can sit him down and get a concrete answer on this then you can work out what's best from there. I personally would not do the L2 course as effectively this is the equivalent of doing GCSEs.

That’s really useful to know, thank you. There’s a global shortage of engineers of all types so it’s a great choice

It’s the difference in the number of hours of work placements. Getting these hours currently is difficult enough so no idea how T levels will achieve this.

@OddGoingsOn

Thus is a tricky one. If they’re offering level 2 now what are they suggesting he progresses onto next year? It’s unlikely that the T level will be replaced so soon imo

Has he looked at the content of T level? Do the units interest him. I know they are being sold as equivalent to A level and that might put him off but BTec level 3 are also A level equivalent.

Agree with others posters that doing a level 2 seems pointless unless he’s going to go into employment after. He could look into an apprenticeship. National Grid do a good one over three years with a job at the end.

Wrt music production, another good option. Job market for music production is there. Lots of sectors recruit eg games design, media. He could even do music production and switch to audio engineering if I remember correctly. Salford uni recruit broadly for this (similar) course.

It’s important to remember that he has choices and he can put several of them in action now eg applying for apprenticeships, accepting a college course.

he could also change direction at 19+ by completing an Access course (Science/ engineering) and that can take him to uni. Nothing is set, there’s always options.

@OddGoingsOn level 2 is GCSE equivalent so not really worth it with the GCSE grades he already has. Has he looked at level 3 apprenticeships?

My DD didn’t get the maths grade she needed (2020 cohort) to do one of her A level choices so was pushed into doing the same subject in a btec along side her 2 other A levels. It worked really well for DD as she got a distinction in her btec and then just had two A levels to revise for. DD received offers from all universities she applied for and is going to Reading in September.