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Higher education

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DS thrown a spanner in the works!

9 replies

PomBearArmy · 20/08/2013 21:52

16 year old DS was home educated for three years from 12-15, then he spent six months at an outreach education centre but didn't have time to take any GCSEs.

The professionals who worked with him set up an option for the coming academic year and I found another one. The first course would provide him with work experience, and ASDAN qualifications. The second is the kind of course that you pass by attending it all year, and is aimed at building his confidence.

He had no strong opinions of his own and just passively went along with what we suggested - until today. He has informed me that he wants to get a degree in Game Art Design. It's a pretty good choice for him actually, he's artistic and he loves gaming. But he will have to take GCSEs and then A Levels to apply for the course.

He doesn't want to start either course that was set up for him, he wants to start moving toward the degree. This has completely thrown me. As a school leaver is he even able to access GCSEs now? There is no way he could go into a school environment with a bunch of 14 year olds! I have googled our local colleges and only found Maths and English GCSEs.

Connexions is only accessible through schools in Oxfordshire so I can't approach them, and his autism outreach worker stopped seeing him at the end of his last academic term.

If any of you can recommend a good source for advice I would appreciate it! If he was 35 I know he could take an access course, but I assume they aren't designed with 16 year olds in mind! I also think that doing A Levels in tandem with GCSEs would be too much for him.

I thought everything was organised, I was even a bit smug that I'd kept another option on the back burner - and now my brain is frazzled...

OP posts:
PomBearArmy · 20/08/2013 21:57

This is the course he wants to do www.brookes.ac.uk/studying-at-brookes/courses/undergraduate/2013/computer-games-and-animation/

OP posts:
lostblonde86 · 20/08/2013 22:32

I'm probs no help, but was also home educated due to being very dyslexic, and have a problem processing what is being said to me (so I can come across slow), anyhow, I didn't take my gcse's, but went to a regional college and got a diploma in IT, however I could of studied for my gcse's, and anyone (adult learners) could still go and study to get their gcse's. I'm not sure if things have changed but if you have a regional college close to you that maybe a option.

Good luck with it all x

JGBMum · 20/08/2013 22:48

Can he get into a BTEC course? I think they start at GCSE equivalent, going on to A level equivalent. Your DS could then get into a computer degree with his btec.

It might also be worth re-posting in the secondary education topic as there are some very knowledgable miners there who teach btec courses.

LRDPomogiMnyeSRabotoi · 20/08/2013 22:52

Does he absolutely have to have GCSEs? Could he not do an access course?

There must be people who apply from Scotland/the rest of the world who don't have A levels.

eatyourveg · 21/08/2013 12:15

There are loads of different ICT related BTECs If he does a level 3 extended diploma he can go onto uni with it. Cant do the link at the moment but google BTEC ICT then qualifications and the list comes up. Most FE colleges will do them and everyone will be 16+

Access is usually over 19s afaik

sashh · 22/08/2013 06:38

Look for a BTEC course, he might need to do BTEC level 2 which is a year and you don't need GCSEs to start, and then BTEC National which will get him into uni.

lljkk · 22/08/2013 07:26

Many 6th form colleges do catchup courses; 5 GCSEs completed in one year for kids who missed out. Usually math-English-double science & a couple other options, perhaps geography & business studies. It's enough to get entry to most colleges. You have to phone around; I know only one college in our county that offers this but they DO offer it.

IGCSE exams is another route; back to home-ed to study for them and then sit them in a private school or again, some 6th form colleges would arrange it if he expects to attend same.

mumeeee · 22/08/2013 18:37

DD3 did BTECH Extended Diploma in IT and she's off to university in a few weeks time. She didn't do well in her GCSES but did the BTECH First Diploma before doing the extended one.

PomBearArmy · 22/08/2013 23:41

Thanks for your advice! I found a college that offers an intensive six GCSEs in a year option, and they were still accepting applications. Fingers crossed Smile

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