Is it too late to switch from A level to BTEC?

[GrumpyMuleFan]

Sorry for long post, but just not sure what is “normal bumps” for sixth form. Would really appreciate some advice.

DS is in y12 and studying a double sport BTEC alongside Business Studies A level. He was also doing core maths AS level, but dropped it two weeks ago. He is very dyslexic and has ADHD. Sport is going really well - working to DD at the moment had an excellent written report at half term. The Business teacher report said he was very good in class, hard working and motivated, but had struggled at times. Suggestions for ongoing revision but no massive flags. He is the only one in the course who doesn’t have the GCSE and has felt under a bit of pressure from the start.

He has been very quiet for the last week or so and yesterday came home from his driving lesson in floods of tears - I have never seen him so upset. He kept stalling and the instructor took over the driving. After lots of hugs and chat and tea, he said that he was worrying the whole time about business studies. One of her teachers asked him to stay behind after class about 10 days ago and told him he was failing and heading for an F.

I was really taken aback at how worried he is and that he’d not talked about it. He’s been planning his career out and looking for work experience and apart from him being quiet, I had no idea that he was worried. We have parents evening on Monday night, but feel I need a more formal conversation with the school.

DS really struggled with academics and was in a specialist dyslexia school until y9. He got six gcse (6s and 5s) and learnt how to get there with hard work. His confidence grew over gcse years and he was confident about his abilities. Yesterday he bought up lots of things about being thick and how he used to feel in classrooms and that he hated how anxious he felt inside.

DS, without a doubt, would have been better off doing BTEC Business, as he does well in course work. There was a block clash with Core Maths, which he really wanted to do. He’s at a new school, in a new town and I think it’s just all added up.

Do you think it would be too late to switch to the BTEC? He has been studying the subject since September and he could focus on catching up on course work between now and September, and then take all of the exams next year. Even if he had to do an extra term?

I read that starting y12 again is an option, but I’m not sure that would be such a good idea: as he’s made lots of friends and may not help him feel good about himself.

And then I think, should he just double down on the Business and help him through?? He is really interested in business and reads the paper and has lots of chat.

Thank you if you’ve read this far. Any advice on what to aim for and how to handle school would really help.

If note-taking is a problem, has DS tried typing and assistive technology? Does he have study skills support? What adjustments is the school providing in terms of providing handouts and electronic powerpoints/notes prior to lessons.

Morning update: We've had really positive news yesterday afternoon and at parents evening. His teachers have been very helpful and provided all their data and then looked into exactly what he is struggling with.

Overall he is tracking a C, but has found the Finance module very difficult and that is what specifically the teacher talked to him about. She had no idea that he was upset and was really kind about it. Said he keeps mixing up the formula inputs and how that then affects the whole answer. They have completed 60% of the course and they said that some students take longer to process some elements and that is all this is. She had wanted DS to really focus on that element.

I wonder if DS focused on the failing chat and just panicked. Teacher also mentioned that another family had complained that their child felt under pressure - but she really reassured us that it's not what she intended. Said that DS has an excellent work ethic / attitude and she wants him to do as well as he can.

Oh the relief! I feel as if he's got a second go at it. Also need to talk to DS more about sharing worries. We had a good chat last night and he said it reminded him of how he used to feel when all school work was a struggle.

His teacher suggested a daily routine to focus on learning terminology and the formulas and unprompted, he got up 20 mins earlier this morning to do that - fingers crossed that continues. He may not do as well in the exam as individual assessments, as six topics to remember, but have my fingers crossed for a D/C in June exams. Then he has a year to try to move up a grade.

Thank you everyone for all your input - really appreciate it. 😍

@Bufftailed really, really good luck for the mocks. I think the processing thing / time is interesting as I can see that it does take some of them longer, and that if they use the time-in-hand, they will get better.

@Emyj15 Your why question really helped + DS is going to find a You Tuber he likes and work through their playlist to help exam technique.

@SoftIce That all made perfect sense, thank you.

@ALittleBitofWensleydale that is interesting / heartening to hear about your sons. Did they both follow a similar path? How are they getting on?

@ChasingMoreSleep I asked about printed notes and they have all presentations on teams, so suggested DS print the topic in advance and then he has it all. He could also download to his tablet and edit on there. He's a great typist, but is not using the tech side of things at all. I am going to get in touch with his LS tutor and ask if they can focus on that.

My son uses Business As Usual and Tutor2u for Edexcel Business A level

That is a much more positive picture than DS originally believed.

As well as looking at how to better use tech with the LS tutor, it is worth discussing pre-teaching new vocabulary if the business teacher suggested learning terminology should be a focus.

Given he was in a SEN school I’m assuming he had an EHCP so the full time requirement doesn’t apply - even if he doesn’t still have an EHCP college are likely to be flexible given his learning needs.

OP said DS doesn’t have an EHCP.

Many state settings don’t offer such flexibility but OP’s DS is in an independent school so there aren’t the same financial constraints on the school. Although some still don’t offer the flexibility for less than full-time. Not that I think it is needed at this point in light of OP’s update.

If he’s a great typist and it’s a usual way of working does he have access fo
using a laptop for exams? It’s a standard access arrangement for many at gcse level so I would have thought the same for Alevel.
my DD struggled alot with biology and her college took you off the course if you got a low D at the mocks at the end of year 1. She just just scraped into year2, we bought access to “up learn” to try as cheaper than a tutor plus she used Quizlet and passed with a stong C last year. We analysed her mock paper for where she dropped silly marks and she worked hard on the maths/stats questions, and terminology to pick up crucial marks. Hope he does ok.

@GrumpyMuleFanhow did you get on speaking with them?

I suppose I would just reassure that there is always things that can be done.