BTEC/T level/other vocational 25/26 - part 2

[BTECnewbie]

New thread for those of us with DC doing vocational courses (and for those with DC looking for an alternative to A levels next year and looking for advice).

My DC is currently doing a level 3 extended diploma. He struggled academically at school and was pretty miserable in year 11. With a lot of hard work he got the grades needed for the level 3 BTEC and is now thriving at college.

It's ridiculous - what kid wants more busy work? It's basically punishing them for completing on time. DD's college don't even cap late submissions. Mine is now saying what's the point of doing assignments on time and using weekends and evenings to do them when the others just do them in class time in the summer term.

Great model for uni or the work place - complete on time and be punished with extra busy essays. Don't do anything and staff will handhold you through it in class time.

She doesn't like the travelling, change of routine, going anywhere that might be busy, etc.
We are thus returning to the same place as last 2 or 3 years ...

She doesn't like the travelling, change of routine, going anywhere that might be busy, etc.
We are thus returning to the same place as last 2 or 3 years ...

@Raven08First driving lesson!!! Whoo Hoo ( that always tickles me!!! How is she feeling about it?! My DS has epilepsy ( but well managed and thankfully weaned off meds now, but taking a longtime to get provisional). How exciting for you! ( oh, sorry, I mean terrifying!!!!! 😖! I wish you luck!!🍀)

Tour of…. Somewhere course related, I’m guessing?! In nearby city?! That could be cool! ( well, possibly not! You know what I mean)!
Tennis sounds good! When I win eurosquillions, I’ll be having a tennis court alongside my swimming pool. Well done chappie!
Read again about dearth of jobs out there for them. My DS’s job at my friends place of work has fallen through. His brother was going to ask at the NT place he works at during Uni holidays, but he’s off galivanting 🙀🙄 obvs!
So, how does this “ summer project” work, “ busy work”, what now?!
Yup, I’m with you re heat! Until I win my mansion, in which case I will be in one of my pools, sipping something cold, and knowing my poolside changing rooms are air conditioned.. which lead to my air conditioned pile……..😈😈😈🥳…!

Absolutely! 💯

@Sisublondie
Basically you finish all the assignments and then apparently you are supposed to ask the staff to set you a new one so that you are kept quiet and out of the way while others do the original assignment. But nobody is going to mark it

Ahhhhhhh, yes. I do know what you mean. We did the same for a few years with a place abroad .. the hotel had an “ autism” wing, ( can’t remember the proper translation) with a quiet pool away from the main part… so he could chill there .. It also helped with his knowing where he was going to, what the rooms would be like, and it was fab as one of the receptionists had lived in Surrey for few years, so her English was fab and she remembered him each year. Hopefully once she gets there, she’ll feel a bit more grounded and settled, and you have a lovely time 🙏💖 🤞 x

Oh, well, that’s is just bloody ridiculous!!! So, yes, where is the motivation to stay up late to finish assignments on time?! NONE! What’s the saying, it’s easier to be dragged down, than pulled up! Everyone should have to adhere to the deadlines!!

DS’s course has been quite strict. He has multiple assignments for each unit and if you miss a deadline (either the original or the resubmission deadline), you are capped at a pass for that unit. DS was late for a couple and it brought his mark down from Distinction star to Distinction. Next year he really needs to be a bit more organised. We’ve had far too many midnight finishes this year.

I’ve been surprised in general about how much work he’s had to do this year. It’s been really full on. He’s just finished the first year work but they’ve already been set some second year work to get ahead for next year.

Yes, that seems to be the case with some courses.. I heard of one where the student had access to assignments “ up front” and started completing them, only to be told to stop as they would have run out of work to do…..

I don’t know whether it is the exam boards, colleges or lecturers themselves who insist on sticking to the deadlines… it does all seem rather fluid!

Well done on the Distinction!! 🌟

I got hold of the 'rules' and it seems for our board that it's college dependent on what happens.
Some cap if you miss the deadline
Some allow multiple resubmissions
Some only allow resubmissions if you fail a module, not to be able to increase from a merit to a distinction.
Ours has no cap for late submission, but you can only resubmit once and only if you submit on time. Result seems to be that most don't do the work until after the deadline has passed.

To be fair, the assignments are actually pretty well thought out, although trying to work out what it is that they actually want you to do/answer needs a PhD in advanced cryptography. And they are a LOT of work.

It suits DD who finds exams impossible due to her dyslexia. But we definitely didn't consider that Term 3 wouldn't exist. I just wish they'd been up front with me in the Spring and then I could have packed her off for lots of work experience or something.

Well put a fork in me, I'm done!

And so is DS, who signed himself off this week from attendance - he had completed everything, but he was still meant to be in. (we are in a red area so it's damn hot!)
He thought it was just resubmissions, etc. but it wouldn't surprise me if they started Year 2 work to get ahead. Anyway, he can "catch up" in September.
It's interesting that different courses have different ways of submission.
DS can submit twice, so long as he hit the deadline the first time (I think that's normal, if you submit late you only get one shot at it). He submitted a good few merits that got upped to Distinctions, so any grade can resubmit. In fact, he was generally using the first submission as a jumping off point to a higher grade rather than trying to get it first time around (which seems normal, I'd be inclined to do that myself!).

I hope everyone who is finished has a lovely summer and those still going in, have a good final few weeks. And good luck to anyone getting exam results in August (that includes us).

I hope everyone gets what they need to progress to the next stage, be that Level 3, Y1 or Y2 (or other combos).
Thanks for the thread, I'll probably pop in a bit in the summer but definitely be here bright and breezy in September.

@OhCrumbsWhereNow

Ooooh, now that is really interesting! I need to do some proper digging with my DS.
Your rules seem good, I guess, in that they have the resubmit option if they get it in on time! And, yes, positive if they inadvertently miss a deadline. But, flip side is some will procrastinate!
I do know what you mean, some of DS’s assignments can be confusing. A couple needed explanation as the questions were all confusingly similar. I absolutely agree as DS’s exam ability is not great. ( I’m feeling rather ill about his English resit result).
I also had zero idea that Term 3 was a non event! It all rather fizzled out…….🙄🙀!

@LarkspurLane

Whoop-Whoop, as the kids say!!! YAY!!! 🥳 🥳🥳

Well done to your DS for signing himself off! Schlepping in, in a red zone would have been heinous!!! And, yes, of course he can crack on in. September! Interesting to hear his resubmission criteria differs! I still am unsure as to mine! … but, in any event, 🥳🥳🥳 as to his Distinction!

What date are your results? Is it the same as ours? ( GCSE), or the A Level date? In any case. GOOD LUCK!!!

Have a wonderful Summer! Yes, pop back!!! 🌟 🌞 🥳🌟! See you soon! x

I tended to find that if I looked at the actual spec for the unit it made understanding what was required clearer.

Oh well I have just found this thread and hopefully daughter is nearly done…

it has been a struggle over the last two year getting her up for college / her attitude in general is poor / she started off liking college but by Christmas in first year had changed her mind and I thought we were nearly done….

Tuesday she announced she wasn’t going to uni and therefore she wouldn’t be doing her level 3 as no point.

(don’t mind either way about uni that’s up to her , but she had just about finished college so I thought!)

after an almighty fall out and wobble , I contacted her tutor who said she only has left to do two assignments and 20 hours work placement to finish her level 3🙄

sadly it seems that they will be capped at a pass as were ment to be in the day before (probably the reason for the wobbly and everyone being hot and bothered didn’t help) but she had completed the others previous up to a* so hopefully they will use an average.

in a way husband saved the day by bribing her with £100 to complete the two assignments and get them handed in and go talk to tutor about the 20 hours work experience.

as of this moment all assignments are completed, and she’s rang and emailed a pre approved placement (so she can start asap 🤞) for her 20 hours she plans to do it in one week .

honestly to be 18 and think it’s a good idea to throw away two years work for the sake of two assignments and 20 placement hours!!!

uni probably isn’t the best place for her right now anyway, and I can understand her wanting to take a breather.

she also works a good chunk of the week at a busy pub , and I don’t think it’s been very good in helping her sleep (she’s wanting to be up to all hours and sleep late)

honestly this week has been exhausting in more ways than one!

Sounds tough @Blahblahblahhhhhs
Glad she's going to finish the course, I'm a great believer in bribery 😃

Welcome to the thread!
That all sounds so stressful and I'm so glad that bribery saved the day - sometimes I think they find it hard to see that something that is difficult now will be worth doing for the future.
I also think that many kids need a lot of parental support to get them over the line, even at 18/19 years old - not everyone will choose right and just get on with it.
Lovely that she has a part time job, a year out might well be a good plan. Earn a bit of cash and then decide what to do next.

How odd! My posts from yesterday not uploaded! I’ll re- go! I hope everyone is enjoying some breezy weather today?! 🌟🌟🌟

@LarkspurLane welcome and well done to your DH. I resort to bribery on a very regular basis so I get his response. And generally paying a reluctant teen £100 is a lot cheaper than arguing with them and the lost opportunity cost.

One of my siblings dropped out of uni just before finals because terrified they would fail. They'd have got a 2:1. But went to uni at 16 and was just overwhelmed and undiagnosed ADHD. If it was DD, I'd have just moved to uni town and supervised and walked her into the exams if necessary. It had major repercussions for years that sibling didn't get that degree certificate.

Mine has also decided no uni - can't face more years of tedious evaluations and analysis in exchange for £100k of debt. To be honest I'm pleased as they are very unsuited to academia and have other plans.

Hope everyone is enjoying the slightly more British summer today

Welcome!!!!!

Wow! Sounds like you have had a trying time, recently! Excellent work on the “ incentive”…. I approve! It definitely sounds as if she has had a vote of no confidence in herself and mentally gave up… and, almost finished, as well!! How fab that she has completed it. And, as for the Uni part…. Well….. a year out to reassess is a good thing, and if she still is adamant, then, do be it, she will still have her Level 3, which is excellent!

High Five yourself fur pulling it all together! 🌟

How’s it going with you?! Dds?! Mum?! 😈😽x

Well, yes, good point!, I just don’t have it! There are a couple of different prospectus’ online, and DS has never been sure which it is “ but, it doesn’t matter, as I do all my work set, and am fully up to date… and I ask “ Bob “ ( the lead lecturer if I’m not sure . etc…”… 🙄..

@Sisublondie
We plod on 🙂
Dd has her last counselling appointment tomorrow which feels very odd. First driving lesson this week too 😬
I think the uni open day we attended yesterday is definitely the one for her so 🤞
Mum is much the same, and doesn't really leave the flat anymore 😕
Older dd is away seeing friends this weekend.
I'm just trying to recover from the heat this week...it makes me feel very unwell 😵‍💫
Hope everyone else is coping ok x

Morning all
Dd got 5 x distinctions for her last project 😃
I'm very pleased for her, she worked very hard.
She said her 1st driving lesson went well, too.
Apparently she'll get her final year 1 grade on gcse results day (20/8) ? Is the same for all btecs?