A levels or BTECs for sport-related university courses after Year 11?

[mrsconradfisher]

A levels or BTECS?

I have 2 sons, 1 is at a top uni for his subject, did 3 A-levels and got A star A A grades. He’s at Loughborough doing Sports Science.

DS2 is currently in Year 11, has the option of a fully BTEC level 3 Sport course but it’s a nightmare to get to due to our location. Would involve a 1.5 hour bus journey each way.
He wants to stay at his current school to go to 6th form. He is far less academic than DS1 but far more able in some areas, he seems to have a natural ability for coaching and is a very talented sportsman. Plan was always A-Level PE and 2 other subjects however his 6th form have stopped PE and replaced it with a Cambridge Technical PE and Sport qualification.
Been to open evening and he has found 3 separate BTEC equivalent qualifications he would like to do, Cambridge technical PE, Medical Science and Business. Each equivalent to an A-Level. Those sort of courses seem to suit him really well and my gut instinct is for him to just do whatever he wants but then there is this nagging voice that keeps saying, that’s a random mix of subjects, he’ll never get into Uni with those and he needs A-Levels.

In terms of Uni, he is thinking along the lines of either sports therapy, coaching or PE teaching. He definitely won’t be aiming for Loughborough (as an example) but wants to go to Uni.
We have looked at countless degree courses and my head is spinning so just wondered if anyone had any thoughts?

Yeah I lived other end of Norfolk & Easton college is highly regarded for what it does.

I think one advantage of psychology over sociology is that it could be accepted as a 'science-related' a level for some courses whereas (although great in its own right) sociology wouldnt be. It depends on whether DS2 thinks that is important. However, I would check out the content if considering it. I did it (in the dark ages) and enjoyed it, but it is marmite. I think it is one of the subjects that suffers from not being what students expect.

Offering A level PE might be on the decline. DD's school used to offer it but now they only offer the CTEC at KS5. They still offer both the GCSE and the vocational version at KS4.

I’d be inclined to let him choose the subjects that suit him, particularly if he already knows that he enjoys the Cambridge Technical courses. A motivated child can do much better in a qualification that plays to their strengths than in A levels chosen mainly because they seem more academic.
I’d be checking the entry requirements for the specific types of degrees he’s interested in rather than worrying about whether the combination looks random. Sports therapy, coaching and PE teaching can all have quite different requirements.
And I wouldn’t dismiss the practical qualifications just because they aren’t A levels. If he’s talented at sport and interested in coaching, the relevant practical experience alongside a suitable Level 3 qualification could actually be useful.
The 1.5-hour journey each way for the BTEC would also make me think twice. That’s a huge amount of time and energy every day when he has a perfectly reasonable option at his current school.

Thank you so much, that’s pretty much what I’m thinking as well. He is very focused and able to work without direction on things he is interested in and has done incredibly well on the BTEC he has taken at GCSE.

DS asked about specific modules for the PE and he’s been given them so need to see what they actually are. I know one involves coaching which would suit him perfectly.

I also cannot see the point in spending 3 hours a day travelling when he can just go to his current school where he is really happy.

How are you both feeling about the transition workload once those modules kick in?

So this is the specification and all the modules. They currently do 1,2,3,8 and 18 apparently. So to me after having experienced PE A-Level, it’s missing basically all of anatomy and physiology. His PE teacher did say that if there was a particular module he wanted to do they could work it for him but I’m not convinced it’s going to give him the knowledge he needs in order to access what he wants to do at Uni.
Im sure I saw some of the courses specified units with Anatomy and Physiology on and now I can’t find which Uni it was.

It's taught in unit 1.

Hi OP my foster son did 3 x BTEC extended diplomas in Sport. He got 2 x distinctions and 1 x merit. He sent to Worcester Uni to study an integrated Masters in Sports Coaching and development. He's loving it. A lot of the course is practical. I think next year he has to go into a school for one morning a week for 2 semesters to coach cricket.

Have a look at the full spec for unit 1.

https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/258723-body-systems-and-the-effects-of-physical-activity.pdf

It's basically the skeletal system, respiratory and cardiac anatomy.

There is no cell structure and the cardiac anatomy doesn't include the electrical system of the heart which surprised me.

Contrast with the BTEC unit - I think it is page 26

qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/BTEC-Nationals/Sport/20161/specification-and-sample-assessments/btec-l3-national-ext-dip-in-sport-spec.pdf

That mix of subjects sounds great for what he wants to do.
A level sociology/psychology is also a good shout instead of business. Also is geography an option? It could give him a science related A level which might help with universities.

However I think him doing the subjects he likes best and is most likely to do well in is always a good strategy. There will definitely be uni courses he can do if he picks his 3 choices