BTEC/T level/other vocational 25/26

[BTECnewbie]

Hello all. My DS will hopefully be starting a level 3 extended diploma in September (assuming he gets the grades). I know very little about BTECs having come through the A level route myself. So I’d love to have a support thread for parents of kids taking vocational qualifications this year.

@Sisublondie
I'm glad, too, it was a fun show - very glamorous!
I'm still feeling quite bluergh...I think its the past few months catching up with me, tbh.
I think I need to start doing more fun things for me

Oh lordy...I've had to go into the dreaded loft for fabric for dd 😬
Busy morning here (Busy but boring...) so I'm having a sit down now

@swampwitch0…. Yes, busy but boring but not stopped few days, just either working or spending hours back and forth up the road from hell to the town where DS is at college! Apparently, the bus doesn’t cut it anymore! I’m happy, as he has a couple of friends, and I get the wanting to hang out after college but I’m getting tired of the finishing in the city on one side of where I live, essentially driving through it for an 1 -1/2 ish hr in the other direction! 🙄🤷‍♀️😹.. but! Better, WAY better, than the bullying hell at his school, so, I’m happily ( ish!) sucking it up for now!

The LOFT!!! Oh noooooooooooooo!!! That gives me goosebumps at the thought!!! How was it?! Did you ( please 🙏, yes!) find what you were looking for? Is this for a DD assignment?

SO good that you went and had a fun, glam night out!! But, 😣😥😖that you are still feeling really crappy…. You have had a really rough few months, and, YES!, you really do need to start putting priority of you, for some “ you” time! 🧘‍♀️! There is a saying I love, something like the oxygen mask analogy when you are flying with children! That you are no use to anyone if you are broken 😞… but, much perkier than that!! Have you tried any extra supplements, for maybe a little boost? But, sleep and rest is truly the cure all, isn’t it? I do hope you are getting better sleep, 💤 😴 too?! 🤞🙏💕….. Have you thought of something you have maybe always wanted to do for yourself, however small ( or large!), and put a plan into action?! x

@Sisublondie
Ha! That'll be me later on wrt taxi service 🙄
Dd is staying on in the city to celebrate a friends birthday 🎂
I hope it's not too late <yawn>
I did find the fabric in the loft! 😀
She's had some good feedback from her tutors, so hopefully last weeks hissy fit was just that
I'm still feeling rubbish tbh 🤧 BUT its half term for the next 2 weeks, so I'm hoping I can chill out a bit/no alarms/no running around <I've jinxed myself>

A good time was had, apparently 😊
She's got a deadline for tomorrow so will be working this evening
Older dd has a friend here and they are going to watch a film 🎞 and then going to visit her bf tomorrow until Tuesday
I'm meeting up with a friend tomorrow ☺️ so I'm looking forward to that

@swampwitch0…..

I’ve escaped!!! On the train to Edinburgh to see DS19!! And. When my alarm went off at 5am, after that initial, 🙄🙀, I remembered it WASN’T for college or work, and I didn’t even hit snooze! I practically bounced out of bed!

So, HiGH FIVE you for two weeks of half term!!! I didn’t know they got 2 weeks anywhere??! I truly hope they you can avoid any M-Ubering and treat yourself! Even just in the sct of doing nothing!! How did meeting your friend go? Great I hope.. it’s always good to get out, even when the thought of it is draining! Sometimes I feel like that, but 99,9999 % of the time, I come home, really happy that I’d gone!

! And, I hope your lurgy has finally buggered off and left! Lurgy seems to be hitting everyone where I live, hopefully not so in Scotland!

So good that DD has got great feedback!! Hopefully, yes, it was “ only” a mini panic, and this will boost her confidence somewhat !!

It’s a weird feeling, leaving DH and DS at home and off to se see DS19 at Uni! Just feeling a bit bizarre! 🤷‍♀️🙄😹..

DS had amazing night the other night!!, I’ll write more later, as not long left on train!

Hope you’re having a fab Monday?!

@SisublondieOh, I love Edinburgh! Have a great time!
I'm mum taxi today as dd has an appointment later.
I've just had my flu jab ouchy
Dd informs me she is having today off, then starting some college work tomorrow - I think she has a fair bit to do...
She has a friend coming here on wednesday so that'll make her happy 😊
Dh leaves for the far east for work on wednesday ☹️
Hope the weather is kind to you across the border! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Oh no as to taxi 🚕 duties!! I hope it all goes well!

… hope the flu jab stops ouching- and does what it is supposed to do!! … never good feeling less than perfect twhen DH is off on trip! …

DS19 is meeting me at Waverley ( have you seen the Mumsnet thread on Waverley station?! Been sniggering at it!!! But, will I make is through the hell it apparently is?! I’ve only ever flown here before!!) .. then lunch, and he has to finish an essay before tonight so I’m seeing Mulberry and browsing in my agenda……😈🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🛍️💕😻🙀😹!!!! M.. n

I like waverley station! (But I'm a sucker for Victorian architrcture and ornamenral cast iron...)

Is it still freezing cold with a draught of legend?

Oh! Too funny!!!!!! I hadn’t seen DS19 waiting for me!! So, I was faffing around, trying to take a selfie with a cool “ Waverley station” sign in the background!!! .. until I heard a shout “ Muummmmm”! I had faffed so long the bloody gate out had closed and I “ had to walk round!!! SO embarrassing, Mum”!!!!!!!

I love Victorian architecture and cast iron, too!! It was lovely! Mind you, Marylebone used to be my overland station ( lived Harrow on the Hill) so total sucker for all that!!

Well! The sun has shined all day!! My hotel room ( nice, but cheap as thro Secret Escapes!) is perfectly formed and glam and I’ve been forced into the hell of posh shopping whilst DS19 finishes off an essay!! All I can say, is thankfully the train has no baggage allowance!! Now, whether my fractured, hopefully almost healed!, wrist can lift stuff…….🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️…. And, as for DS! I called to see how college had gone… DH had picked him up, I didn’t realised and that DS on speaker phone in car… so I said “ Ahhhhhh, well, tell him I miss him…….”, to which I heard “ Yeh! Well! I don’t” with an evil cackle and the line went dead!!!! ☠️ 🙄😹…

Hope you’re feeling slightly perkier, too .fingers 🤞 .🙏

It is!!!! But, sunny!!!! Tho, I fear rain tomorrow as forcing DS19 on a cheesy ghost walk tour !! 👻

Oh! Enjoy the ghost tour...we may pop up for the day again next year so if its good, let me know 😊 👻 👽 😱

I was on this thread a while back under a different name and found it really useful, but popping back it seems to have morphed into a private chat between two posters! So I'm going to start a new thread for anyone who wants just practical chat about their DC's courses.

NOOO! Don't do that! Just post what you want to. People are probably still watching even if not posting if everything is just trotting along.

My DD's Supported Internship has hit a wobble as she wants to work with dogs and college isn't getting any responses from businesses we suggested.

They said that even graduates struggle and end up in entry level jobs, leaving no room for those with only entry level qualifications.

So we are going to have to widen out from animal care (having spent 3 years on it) to find something under the ABC: Any job, Better job, Career process.

If people aren’t posting their concerns, or thoughts about BTEC, or, indeed, anything, then there isn’t anything to reply to. I’m assuming you are referring to me as one of the posters… I am trying to keep the thread alive, and it is usually only @swampwitch0posting on here and replying.

We are all here for the same purpose, but if people don’t post, then there is nothing for anyone else to reply to! Anyone who does post, ALWAYS gets a response, so it’s not fair to not post, then say it’s only other posters chatting 🤷‍♀️.. We are all here with the intention of helping one another.

This thread has been invaluable to many people, if you are lurking or watching, please post as well!

I didn't think anyone else was on here still! Well, couldn't spot anyone among all the emojis… 😬 I was previously SuperTrooper1111 – changed my name after having a mental health break from all online apps!

So sorry to hear that about your DD. What will it mean if she can't get anything sorted? We were shocked when our DD came home telling us that if she didn't have work experience (also doing animal care) booked by the end of Oct she'd lose her place. Seems so draconian when so many businesses are reluctant to take on work experience students – or they've given spots to graduates desperate for any kind of placement while they look for a permanent job. DD's got one-day a week at doggie daycare now but it's been stressful.

Why doesn't your DD contact the businesses herself though? I bet she'd have far more success if she went in and spoke to them. That's what my DD did and then the college signed it off. The business then filled in the college's paperwork.

Get what you're saying, but if I was coming onto the thread as a newbie and just saw reams of back and forth about personal stuff between two posters I'd be reluctant to interrupt!

Why doesn't your DD contact the businesses herself though? I bet she'd have far more success if she went in and spoke to them. That's what my DD did and then the college signed it off. The business then filled in the college's paperwork.

We did the contacting them herself for a) when she took a year out and b) for work experience in her course last year. These are mainly businesses who didn't reply then either, or said no. The Supported Internship is more complicated as college needs to work with the business too. DD's confidence is pretty low right now (she is back on her meds) so it is difficult to know how best to approach things. Over half term we may give it a go with a couple of places, as she's not much to lose.

One of the reasons she is doing the SI is we hoped college may have more success getting an 'in' than DD had managed.

How's the course going otherwise?

That's frustrating – with a SI the college should be pulling out all the stops to find your DD something. Have they presented you with a list of places they've approached? If they haven't, it might be good to ask for it so you can cross-ref against any possibilities you've researched yourselves. DD's college has been hands off with the WE process and I know there are some kids in her group who still haven't got anything sorted with a week to go and are so stressed about it.

Other than that, she absolutely loves it! She's finding the course really interesting and loves the hands-on experience with the animal - for the first time ever she's actually ahead of schedule and has completed homework before its due date! She's also really enjoying college life and the increased independence after school. After such a rocky year pre-GCSEs with her anxiety it's been wonderful to see her so happy. Just hoping she does well on her first assignment!

I'm still here and have been responded to when I post (quite a few pages back now).
It's understandable that it's turned into chat but it might be good if a few lurkers did post to get it back on track.

Anyone got any BTEC news? Generally how do people feel about the death of the BTEC and the new V Levels?

I don't see why they need to kill off perfectly good BTECs in order to introduce some wider scope vocational courses too.

However, off the top of my head I think that if someone doesn't know what area they want to go into there should maybe be a level 2 'taster' vocational course that does 5 weeks each across 6 areas (or something) before they pick for level 3?

Don't get me started on V Levels! From what I've read, it's just a rebranding exercise from calling them BTECHs. Utterly pointless. It also sounds like it will cost colleges a fortune in having to change all their logos etc. Money that could be better spent on course provision and tutor pay.

Don't get me started on V Levels! From what I've read, it's just a rebranding exercise from calling them BTECHs. Utterly pointless. It also sounds like it will cost colleges a fortune in having to change all their logos etc. Money that could be better spent on course provision and tutor pay.