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.

Nooooooooo!!!! Isn’t that the sort of stuff you could bond to a rug with said iron?! 🤷‍♀️😈?!

How did today go?

So! DS and I had a chat late last night….. today is his day off, but he wanted to go onto the library at college because….. he has THREE assignments due in on FRIDAY… ones which he has apparently not completed sufficiently to pass…….. PLUS “ some”, or, perhaps “ one”, but definitely sounded like “ some” due in on Tuesday , set by one of his new TA/Instructors…

I picked him up… apparently the lecturer who returned the a Friday ones, as they are not worthy of a pass, did not put the notes he said he would do on them, so DS now has a full day at college tomorrow, and three due in the following day. Plus the extra random one/s due in on Tuesday, I got yelled at driving home when I asked about logistics…. The chap who set the assignments due Friday is in tomorrow, so DS going to speak to him. He says that ALL of his course have had them returned due to missing salient points…… So, ummm, I guess I have to not mention it further, to avoid further stress for him, beyond his control at this time of night!! See what tomorrow brings!

How has everyone else’s day gone? 😸

@Sisublondie
Hmmm. Yes. The 11pm "chat"...I have those with both my dds, too! Ignore me all day, monosyllabic grunts until I'm settling down to sleep then...."Muuuum..."
😬🙄🤣
Today has been mixed. Trams had an issue so were running very late so she only got in about 40 mins early in the end.
She has a lot to do tbh..competition entry by Sunday, 4 x workbooks in by next Friday, then final piece due 2nd February 😬
I'm just doing a lot of nodding and providing snacks.
Dd and her class have been told they are all behind - I'm a bit irritated by this...dd was really ill before Christmas so missed 2 days but she goes in early/stays late since they've been back. Not sure what more she can do?
I'm not sure she is that behind, but some of her group definitely are so the teachers are getting quite strict bit late in the day imo...
So....I forsee a stressy time ahead!
Dd has the same issue as your ds in that her lecturers all do different days/or are pt which can make it tricky to get feedback/help.
It'll be nice to get this first project done and under her belt.

@Sisublondie Now might be time for a reminder for you/him. If he looks at the actual unit spec he will see info that might help him know what needs to be included for each grade even if the tutor hasn't made it clear.

If assignments get returned it can quickly snowball, so checking the unit spec (and also cross checking with the exact wording in the assignment itself) can reduce rework.

Morning all!

OMG! After posting the other night, I happily tucked myself up, with my new pillows and pillow cases I’d treated myself to, and lovely fresh bedding….. at 12.30am, you know then you haven’t been asleep long……wake and think 🤔….hmmmmmmm….then…a bolt to the bathroom and 🤢!
shouldn’t complain as haven’t been 🤢for a couple of years ( Dad’s Anniversary two years ago/Best friends Memorial.. trying not to read into it 🙄😸!), so going to play catch up!

Happy weekend, everyone! How are we all?! Weather grim there, too?! 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Sounds like you're having a tough time Sisublondie, I hope you feel better today.
We're ok, first assessment done (and hopefully passed), bit of calm before next assignment is due. We're all a bit winter coldy, not bad enough for life to stop moving but just a bit wearing.

Does anyone know when we hear about (Pearson) external assessments? I know there's a retake in May if needed.

Dd is being vile today so I've just told her off and am staying upstairs!
She's taken too much on, didn't get what she wanted done yesterday (this seems to he becoming a pattern on Fridays...) and I'm fed up of it.
I should have told her not to enter thr competition.
Sigh.

Oh, noooooooooo! Oh, I absolutely HATE that! I hate how our moods are so easily dictated to by them and if they are, indeed, in a vile mood, your possibly great, bright and breezy mood is shot to bits 🙄🤦‍♀️🤯. I think that’s definitely the best plan, and one I only recently implemented for myself!
I really hope she calms down, and starts to realise that she is the author of her own misfortune today ( in the kindest possible way, of course), and it is totally not OK to take it out on you, her biggest fan. Deep breaths…, stay out of harms way, and distract with a book or some crappy Netflix whilst you sit it out! 🤞 I wish you luck!!!!🍀 💖

I've gone for "moody teen" and have been listening to Pearl Jam 😀

Competition entry sent!
Thank goodness for that 😬
Dd now has a student council meeting on Thursday and the group project presentation the following week 🙄
Her workbooks/portfolios are due on Friday and final piece due on 2/2 😬

@swampwitch0

Whooooooo-Hoooooooooo!!! That is truly excellent news!! 🥳✨🥳!! Relieved for that! Ok, so, now you both have a pretty nasty-ass couple of weeks, with all that! DS is Student-,something! But I don’t get to hear about meetings! Does she represent her course? And give feedback as to positives and negatives her course mates have identified? Or similar?! Well, the group presentation will hopefully result in the dead-weights actually started to pull some! 🤞 🙏💖! Crikey as to all that due on Friday…. And, is the final piece a stand alone piece? Ohhhh, I’m sorry, that sounds sooooo stressful!

DS managed to resubmit the three he’d been handed back, and has “ some” due on Tuesday …..( to a new, newly qualified who I’ve not heard of until recently, so, not nicely sure how she fits in, Unit wise. Apparently, it is 9 Unuts a year he has to do.

How’s your Pearl Jam?! I’m having a retro “ Chill-Party” 🧘‍♀️ vibe and been blasting Robert Miles out of my old Volvo on the windy foggy lanes……… ✨✨✨!

@LarkspurLane

Hey, thank you, yes. Still dodging the cold/flu lurgy, which I’m super grateful about, as I’m going back up north to my Mum tomorrow. I hope you manage to kick it to the kerb soon. I do hear of lingering coughs, which must be incredibly tiring, as it affects sleep ( 💤 eek!).

Yay to first assignment done! Any idea how long you have to wait to hear? That’s a relief. Hopefully a bit of calm time before the next round! I hope you are having a nicely chilled weekend…..

@Sisublondie
Hope your journey up north is uneventful and swift 🙏
Wrt dd: she has a lot to do tbh, but seems in a better mood than friday and yesterday!
Poor dd1 has had a disappointing visit with her ldr bf so is feeling down.
Ugh.
I'm going back to my Agatha Christie book! 📚

@swampwitch0
Thanks! Nearly there, going to take her to hospital to collect her first lot of drugs, so 🤞 .. I’ve bought lots of lovely M&S food and flowers, and have TV planned!

I hope your book was good! Which one? I really liked the new Seven Dials on Netflix… good job I like reading too, as WiFi off again yesterday!

I hope DD’s better mood continues…. and college goes well today. I’m so sorry to hear about DD1’s upset…. Is it a “ one off” bad visit? As in, maybe she’s unduly worried? It’s really hard, isn’t it? I overheard DS on the phone to his gf last night…. he sounded really despondent, and appeared to be talking about how she will be able to tell his depressed/stressed/etc moods.. I’m hoping it was a generalised “ heads up” chat, and not that anything had occurred… it’s so true “ you’re only as happy as your unhappiest child”…….. I hope your DD1 has “ just” had a crappy one- off, and she has perked up.

Right! Shortly time to be “ bright and breezy” and man up!!

Hope you’re having an ok start to the week! 😻

Thanks @Sisublondie
I hope your mums treatment is as stress free as it can be 💐
Dd1 is going to talk to her bf tonight....😬
Her bf is very "my way or no way" which has been hard to witness at times. She is feeling - rightly - messed around.
Dd is busy doing her cv/cover letter for work experience as she's now thinking of applying to theatres! 🙄😀
I'm watching 7 dials atm! It's very good.

@swampwitch0

I finally got to bed! Knackered, and can’t wait to close my eyes! Haven’t stopped. It’s been a good day, tho, getting her started on her new “ A” drugs….( luckily the potential hallucinations didn’t occur 🥳!) but she helped me get her utility room sorted out, so she’s really relieved about that), weird not saying goodnight to DS, and he’s not one to text or call for a chat ! ( tho, I did get a “ love you, lunch money!!!!!” one first thing 😈😹!

Eeeek…. I really hope the talks with bf are productive. Is it a “ first love” relationship? .. is she coping to kick him into touch, so to speak? Shape up, or ship out? ( is that right??!). It’s horrible, isn’t it, seeing them get hurt, or, as you say, messed around. I hope she gets what she wants out of it…. 🤞

Ooohhhhhhhh, theatres!!!! 🎭 Now, that would be super cool!! How did her cv writing go?

And…… 7 Dials! How much are you 💖😻 Bundle!?!

@Sisublondie
I'm staying out of it at dd1! I'm not sure my views would be welcome 😬😀
Glad you've arrived safely x
I'm a bit cross about the whole work experience thing tbh - thought it was sorted locally but dds pad tutor us pushing her to apply to places in the city and dd seems keen 🙄😬
The tutor then suggested to sort it for February half term! 3 weeks away! I've ge toy suggested easter might be better!
(We are away in whit week)
She got a lot done yesterday so was a bit brighter last night.
She did her cv etc
Tomorrow is a student council thing apparently so she'll be stressed that she's missed a day 🙄
Oh, well. Onwards!

Hello can I jump on here and ask for help with a recommendation for a laptop for a Health and Social care T level? Such as is it necessary? Any thing in particular they need or don't need etc?

Is this for a course already started?

When DD did work at home on a laptop she could in theory go onto the college 'proportal' and use Word from there.

Though it got very confusing as to where documents were actually stored, on the college system or on home laptop.

A laptop for home use would presumably be very helpful for any T level. Surely doing assignments on a phone would be a nightmare.

@Littletreefrog
Dd has a chrome book which seems to do the job

@swampwitch0

Good call re DD1! 🙀 - all you can do is to be there, I guess! x

FEBRUARY HALF TERM?! Wha’?! 🤔🙄😳🤯😹!
So, I’m guessing the theatres in your nearest city? Is there anything remotely possible locally?
Happy she’s perked up! And finished her CV 🥳! Well done! So, the student council thing is all day, or at times she’ll miss a lesson? Have to make up time? But, think how good the Student Council is on her CV! Very honourable thing to be able to put on there 😸!

DS has informed me that he has volunteering tomorrow in lovely tourist-y woods, so I’m looking forward to hearing all about that! Always great to be kept in the loop! 🤷‍♀️😳!

Now! …… you’re going away in whit week!!! Ooooh! Anywhere warm/fun/exciting!!?!

Welcome!!

My work laptop is a Lenovo, and I find that good. My DS has a laptop at college, so I would double check to see if your DD may have access to one, there?

Good luck 🤞on getting her sorted!

@Sisublondie
I got it wrong...its next week for student council 🫣
@Lookingforadvice345My laptop is a lenovo think pad...it's fine. Does the job.
We are going to Switzerland at Whit week 😀
Haven't been for many years so looking forward to it.
Dd has altered her final piece idea so I was up until 11pm helping cut out fabric.
I'm 😴
Have a good day, folks.
Woodsy day? Sounds marvellous! 😊

Workbooks deadline tomorrow...I'm not looking forward to it! 😬

Oh no!! Ok, so a week ahead of yourself is better than the other! 😈😹🥳!… Shame the 11pm change of design wasn’t a week ahead of itself, either😳😤! I hope you manage to get a bit of catch up rest today! I’m about to sort out an arsey email about my not doing a mandatory course that I KNOW I have done!! ( the nearest “ in person” course is a good couple of hours away as it’s “ full” in my city).. they have form for screwing records up! Had a few apology letters over the years, but I’m not overly in the mood for such nonsense at the moment 🤯!).

Oooooh! Switzerland! I hope you have a fabulous time! I’ve not been for years either ( for which I fully blame DH- my in laws live there!). Ah, the peaceful mountains, the tinkling 🐮 🔔, pitch black skies and stars 🌟! It’ll be the perfect reset!!!

Have a lovely Thursday! What’s today’s nickname?! Whatever, nearly the weekend! 🥳