Bouncing back from poor GCSEs - in praise of BTEC (edited by MNHQ at request of OP)

[Passingthrough123]

I’m sharing this as a message of encouragement/hope for any parents with DC about to take GCSEs who are struggling academically and are worried about next steps and think A-Levels might be too much for them.

That was my DD16 this time last year. She had major anxiety (needed CAMHs referral for therapy in end) and her mock grades were low. We knew A-Levels might finish her off so after coming on MN for advice, we looked at a BTEC in animal management because ultimately she wants to work with animals.

Her GCSEs were even worse than we feared. She only passed 3 above grade 4 and the rest were 3. We were so upset for her but hid our disappointment and tried to stay positive - we knew how much she’d struggled sitting so many exams and a practical qualification in a subject she loved might be a better fit. But it was so hard seeing all her peers get decent grades and head off to sixth form. It was hard not to think that we had failed as parents too.

Then there was a slight setback on college enrolment day. Because she hadn’t got a science at grade 4, she’d have to start at Level 2, where she could learn animal biology. It would be a one-year course that, should she do well, would get her to Level 3.

Yesterday our girl came through the front door looking the happiest I’ve ever seen her coming home from a day’s learning. She’d sat a mock test last week and found out she got 98%! She hasn’t scored so highly since primary. She was also told she’s on track to pass her course with Distinction, meaning she’ll have the equivalent of four more GCSEs at grades 7/8 as far as employers are concerned. She loves the practical elements of BTEC, including sorting out her own work experience, and finds the written work more than manageable.

It’s like having a different child, frankly. And the stress and worry that we carried while she struggled at secondary school is finally ebbing away. So if you’re a parent reading this worrying that your DC isn’t going to do well enough to take A-levels, please know there is another path. I only found out about BTECs from coming on MN so this is me paying it forward.
(Edited by MNHQ at request of OP)

I love hearing all the positive stories! It sounds like your DD and @aCatCalledFawkes's DC have both benefitted hugely from doing BTECs. When you think about it, A-levels can actually be quite limiting when it comes to subjects, whereas BTECs allow kids to test out actual future occupations. In a climate where AI is cannibalising so many jobs, that's no bad thing!

I'm really pleased to hear this. My colleague does a fantastic job teaching Business BTEC to kids like your DD and they do really well.

My dd was exactly the same, passed three GCSE’s went on to do btecs and is now year 2 at university! GCSE’s are not the end!

well done to your daughter

I think DS might end up taking two A-levels and a BTech, or maybe two BTechs and an Alevel. The only A-level we're fairly sure of is Drama (although I guess he could do it as a BTech as well), I think probably a science A-level/BTech as he's quite good at it, and it sounds like Biology would be a good idea both in terms of animal care further qualifications and it's his best science. The third one is really up in the air, so that's where something more vocational might come in and we'll have to get thinking about that by the end of this school year.

Because I'm a pedant, that is what I'm sorry for. Forgive me, I have had BTEC students put BTECH on their CVs so I do bang on about it.

@Theghostofchristmasarse a child can go to an FE college at 14. Schools don't like to tell you this but I have taught under 16s.

One thing I do wish is that BTEC shouldn't be thought of as a second place to A Levels, both have positives and negatives but many students are more fitted to course work rather than exams, and at uni they will probably be doing both.

If they don't go to uni then they have a practical qualification in their chosen field and often work experience too.

Another positive story, DD was diagnosed as autistic at 15 and hated school, missing around 6 months of year 10. she eventually did her GCSEs through our local council’s outreach programme (teachers coming to our home for maths, science and English) she also did art basically on her own, as she wouldn’t go to school to meet the teacher. She went on to do an art diploma at college, and is now at university doing a Fine Art degree! Most importantly she is happy. I am beyond proud of her.

What an amazing turnaround! It’s them being happy that really is the success story though, isn’t it. My DD had an exam yesterday for her Level 2 and was so calm beforehand, had revised loads and came out confident she’d done well. To see her like that and not in a puddle of tears was just wonderful.

Fabulous thread. My DN did a BTEC, went to a RG university and now has a very exciting and interesting job.

Thanks for coming on and sharing your DN’s success. If this thread helps just one parent see that their child not doing A-Levels isn’t the end of times it will be worth it!

Happy to contribute to an excellent thread @Passingthrough123

This could be my grandson! He has ADHD and says he cant remember/ recall information, his mock results were abysmal and we find it very worrying as he’s in year 11 and he needs basic grades to get on his chosen college course .

We found our DD’s college to be really sympathetic - the additional learning support (ALS) she gets is a million times better than her old school’s provision - and they worked with us to find a solution when she didn’t get her required science grade. So don’t despair - if your DGS doesn’t get the best results he could still start his course at a lower level.

One thing we did post-mocks was to identify the subjects that really mattered and supported our DD to focus on those, so she did pass Maths and English. Is that something that might help your DGS?

I think Btecs are great, 30 years ago I did a Btec instead of A-levels as I knew I wouldn't cope with the exams (I'm dyslexic). Luckily when I did GCSE'S quite a few had a lot of coursework, but A-levels at that point where like they are now and just exams.

I went on to do a degree in physics 😊. Even the top university I applied for would take my Btec qualification.

I think we've done a disservice to a lot of students by making all GCSE'S exam only. I would have struggled to pass them as they stand now. DD found it really hard having so many exams to sit and in comparison A-levels for her where actually easier.

Back in the day, children like yours could have enjoyed this type of pathway in schools too and experienced success. However thanks to Gove et al, everyone is supposed to be academic at school

@MigGirl Yes, it’s gratifying how many unis will take BTECs now. It’s a different way of learning to A-Level but still requires hard work and commitment and it’s good that their value is being recognised.

I also agree with your sentiment @notnorman. Gove’s one-size fits all brand of education has damaged a generation of kids.

Love this thread! My DD is year 11 and been home school since year ten due to extreme anxiety.

She’s bright, 7 in her english mock but struggles with maths and i’m almost certain she won’t pass it. She’s also dyslexic and very creative.

We took her to a college open day at the weekend and she feel in love with the whole arts dept.

Shes been trying to choose all week between creative media and photography for post 16 and finally settled on photography.

I have never seen her more happy or determined about education than she has been this week and I’m so pleased these pathways are open to people like her.

So pleased for your DD that she's enthused about learning again! My DD had a similar reaction going to her open day – it was like someone had put a pin in her and she just relaxed. It was instantly somewhere she could see herself being without feeling anxious and six months in it's even better. She loves going in. Also, BTECs aren't taught over a full week – mine is in for 2.75 days, and that really helps giving them time and space to regulate again. One day she does coursework and revision, the other day has been mainly work experience, which is a big part of the course. Talking of which, it's worth thinking now about WE possibilities in your area and making a list, so you're one step ahead.

Mine also struggled with maths so she dropped to Foundation which was far more manageable and ended up with a 4. Which level is yours doing?

Thank you for this lovely post, which I've found both informative and encouraging. My DS is only in Y8. He's EXTREMELY bright and all-round talented. In his Y7 parents evening almost every teacher told us he's capable of a 9 in their subject. However he has autism, ADHD and anxiety which can be crippling at times. His school attendance is currently at 75%.

When it comes to homework, his maths is online and I watch him flying through the answers, getting everything correct before I've even finished reading the question. But for all other homework he simply cannot organise himself. He needs me to sit with him and talk him through how to get started. He frequently has meltdowns over it and either doesn't do it at all or decides it's all wrong and rips it up. He cannot revise alone. If I know he's got a test coming up I'll usually run through a few questions with him but I don't have hours and hours to spend on it.

I really worry about how he will cope with the workload, organisational skills and pressure of GCSEs and beyond. I've a couple of good friends with DC in y10/11 so there's lots of talk of GCSEs, A Levels, uni, and I just struggle to imagine DS managing it.

It's so encouraging to hear of struggling DC turning things around. I was only vaguely aware of BTECs and wasn't aware they were accepted by universities and could lead to such a range of careers. Definitely something I will bear in mind over the next couple of years.

I was posting about this on another thread just yesterday. A friend of DD's struggled at school, she was in the bottom set and so wasn't even taught all the content and came away with mainly average GCSEs. At college she's doing an Art A level and a BTEC in Health and Social. She's in Y13 and looks likely to get an Astar in her A level and 2x Distinction Stars in her BTEC. So going into college with average marks she's going to be walking out with top grades and is going to University to study nursing. She's the most extreme example but DD has a lot of fruends mixing A levels and BTECs. I'm so glad we have such an outstanding sixth form college locally that gives the option of mixing qualifications to suit a child's strengths.

Another Btec parent here. Ds was asked to leave an academically selective school at the end of Year 8 due to his autism and although clever, struggled with traditional academics.

He did a Btec in Music and is currently in the final year of a music degree. He still struggles with the academic side of uni but doesn't care because the skills and contacts he has learnt along the way has enabled him to set up his own business. A couple of weeks ago he played for a major UK tour and this weekend will be working on the creative team as a freelancer at a show in a West End theatre.

Several of his friends at college had to do the Level 2 course first and most of them went on to do very well as Level 3.

You were me when my DD was in Y8! Struggling to get her to school every day and looking round at her peers and thinking she'll never get to sit A-Levels or go to uni like them. That's why I wanted to pay it forward with this thread – coming on MN and finding out about BTECs as an alternative was a game changer for her and for us as a family. The key is finding a course that really lights a fire under them – it really helps if it's one they are passionate about and that it's their choice to enrol on. You want them to feel empowered.

The other thing to consider as a positive is the head start BTECs give students in terms of work experience. IF my DD goes to uni – she's leaning in favour of doing an apprenticeship – she'll be miles ahead of A-Level students in terms of the hours she'll have wracked up doing WE. At a time when the job market is so competitive, it is going to be the graduates who've had the most hands-on experience who'll catch the eyes of recruiters.

Love all the latest success stories! Thanks for sharing @Comefromaway and @FruAashild – so much positivity for BTECs that it really is going to help parents who are worried about their DC's prospects.

This is brilliant to hear! My son is really into computers but I fear slowness in exams will bring down his maths grade which will mean no CS A Level. So am already prepping him for a possible AAQ/ Btech in digital.

Just to add, Btecs are likely to be slowly replaced with V Levels from 2027, when my son starts. Hoping they will be as good.

As a side note on this lovely thread... look at T Levels as well.

We are lucky, the school gets them to look at Post 16 when they are in Yr9 choosing options. So they are introduced to BTEC, A levels T levels, apprenticeships etc. DD was looking at Animal Care T Level after the GCSEs/lv2 BTEC.