Btec science - URGENT HELP PLEASE!!

[verybored]

DS 1 is in year 9. Loves his science and has always hoped to do it at A level and then something science related at uni. He has come home from school today saying that he has been told they are only doind BTEC science and not GCSE.

The way his school work is they are banded into three bands and you are in this band for every subject, so you cannot be in top for English and middle for maths if that makes sense.

DS1 is in middle band and I have always been told he is at the top of that band and is only not in top band due to his attitude - which has improved massively since the beginning of year 9.

So today he has come home and told me that his band is only doing BTEC in Science. Now am I right in thinking this is not a good thing for him. I will be ringing his head of year first thing tomorrow and firstly checking the facts, then secondly asking for him to be moved up to top band, where they are apparently doing GCSE. But I'm pretty sure I will be fed the' they are GCSE equivalnets and just as good etc etc' line

If they refuse, can I do anything? I am absolutely fuming! This is his best subject, he's bloddy good at it and he's going to be lumbered with a BTEC

[TheFallenMadonna]

Oh yes, they did, but the white paper has taken away the league table equivalence. It remains to be seen whether any other equivalence will be retained. We are in limbo.

[TheFarSide]

Okey dokey - thanks!

[mummytime]

Most school I know the top groups are doing three separate sciences. Most of the other groups are doing double and only those who will not get Cs are doing BTEC or OCR (which is a good course for them).
In your shoes I would be investigating other schools that he could go to. BTEC is fine for some technician grade science jobs, but the only A'level it reasonably leads on to is Applied Science which is okay as a fourth A'level or for some technical science degrees.
Wasn't there a standard that all pupils with a level 6 should have the chance to study for three separate science A'levels?

Good luck?

[verybored]

Head of year knows nothing about it so the science teacher is hopefully going to call me.

I have had a look through his reports. He got a 5C at the end of year 6, 6C at the end of year 7 and 6B at the end of year 8. We have not had any grades so far this term which is not in line for what we have had the last 2 years.

I have been told today by the head of year that to move up a band they have to be nomitaed by a teacher in EVERY subject to go up. He's terrible at French so I don't think he stands a chance at going up. Which is ridiculous as he won't even be taking the GCSE option I don't think, so his levels are being decided by an unrelated subject that he won't be taking.

Can anyone tell me if his levels are ok for his year? If he's below what is expected, i'd like to know before I make a fool of myself to the school. All they talk about is what is expected for him, but sometimes it helps to know where this fits within the year group!

[verybored]

The reason he slowed in year 8 is because he did feck all in all subjects. We got onto the school when we uncovered it and got him put on report. He has now changed his attitude massively, which makes this decision even worse for him because he has made the changes as he wants a good job, probably in science.

I'm just hoping we can get the science teacher on side. Thanks for your reply Giddy, it's very helpful.

[verybored]

Thank you. I have to say I have been impressed with the school so far when we have had other problems, and also them acting quickly when we discovered a problem with his work in year 8. However, the concern is that the middle band students are left to get on with it. We were not contacted about the state of his work last year and only found out by accident. But when we went to parents evening all the teachers were concerned, yet no one had done anything.

Thankfully, i'm not an all guns blazingtype of person, but unfortunately I do find it hard to get my point across strongly.

The replies on here though have convinced me that I am right on this, which has given me a lot more confidence to keep going with this if necessary.

I'm hoping someone, somehwre has got this wrong, but I know it's unlikely

[verybored]

That's what the head of year has said to do if we are not happy with what the science teacher says. I don't remember it beign like this whe I was at school!

[verybored]

Sorry Giddy, missed your other post. I didn't think you wee criticising - DS was a little sod in year 8 and I am amazed he didn't go backwards!

[verybored]

were, not wee!

[verybored]

I've just had a thought. I'm wodering if middle band will to BTEC as standard but may have the option of taking the GCSE as one of their option choices? Although surely the teacher would have told them this when the students were up in arms about it.

[pippop1]

You could consider contacting your local MP or writng to the local press or at least telling the Head that you will. As long as you get your facts correct this is fine.

[verybored]

Well he was right. All of middle band sit the BTEC. Out of almost 300 students, about 70 will do the GCSE. It's ridiculous. The science teacher is not happy, but apparently it's always been done this way. Clearly they keep it quiet.

We find out in 2 weeks what band DS will be in for year 10, as apparently he is on the cusp of moving up. I have told them he will not be taking the BTEC under any circumstances. They were all very helpful and approachable, but we now have an anxious 2 weeks, in which DS must slog his guts out before we find out.

[coastgirl]

70 do gcse out of 300? The proportion should be the other way round, IMO. It's a rare school where less than a quarter of the students are even capable of a C at GCSE.

[verybored]

It's not that they're not capable at all. DS is apparently at the top of this middle band. He, and many of the others were in top sets throughout primary school for Maths and English. I really can't understand what they are playing out. I have spoken to three members of staff today who all had the same reaction when I told them that DS is intending to do A level science - 'oh'. Basically because they know the BTEC is not good enough.

Many of DS's peers are very bright and capable and even if DS is put in the top band, there will still be a lot of students who will be taking this BTEC. I can understand the bottom band, but not the middle too.

All I can think is that it's easier to teach or easier to fit to the timetable. Who knows?

[TheFarSide]

Just to be absolutely clear, our local colleges would not accept your DS for A level science with only a BTEC science.

[verybored]

Don't worry, he won't be doing it. Either he moves up a band in 2 weeks or we move schools.

I told this to the person in charge of the banding today. We get a letter in 2 weeks to tell us what band DS will be in for his options as a few will change bands.

TBH i'm glad we founf out now, rather than at the options meeting in 2 weeks.

Funnily enough, when I spoke to this person, the science teacher had already contacted him about DS. I think she let the cat out of the bag with a purpose yesterday!

[roisin]

These sorts of policies from school are all due to the pressure they are under for league tables and so on.

There is no doubt that it is easier to pass the BTEC, or for teachers to drag reluctant lazy students and make them produce the necessary work to pass the BTEC, than it is to get get grade C at Science GCSE.

So, naturally, schools are motivated in this direction.

There is no clarity or definite decision about the english baccalaureate, nor when/whether Science BTEC will no longer "count".

I actually think BTECs are a useful and valid qualification for some students, and they certainly have a role. But they should be viewed, and judged, as BTECs, not as GCSE equivalents. Because they're not equivalent.

[TheFarSide]

I know schools are under pressure to improve perfomance, but it is profoundly unethical for them to cave in to this pressure and introduce policies that will have a detrimental effect on some pupils.

[magentadreamer]

Is the English Bacc not likely at some stage in the future to be the only measure for School league tables? I am not 100% happy about the EBacc but do feel it will weed out the schools that sells BTEC with a evanagelical fervor! My DD's school loves BTEC's but they actually offer Triple Science to Sets 1-5 and BTEC to set 6-7. Hopefully the OP's DS will be moved up and allowed to take GCSE Sciences. I would still push for GCSE to be made available to more than the 70 out of 300 who currently do it.