Is there a website rating colleges , courses etc

[kilmuir]

First DD so all this post 16 education is new to me.
Senior teacher at school said not their job to promote other establishments as the school was a business. Not very helpful

Yes the FE choices website.

School teacher is talking rubbish - there's a contractual obligation to provide access to impartial and independent information, advice and guidance. If you were feeling particularly stonewalled you could take this up with the funding agency.

In fact, re- reading that has really pissed me off "promote other establishments"???? No, it's about your daughter the best advice and information for whatever route is best for her which isn't necessarily boosting the school's enrolment numbers!

Yes, i am getting more pissed off actually. My DD is going to ask her Art teacher best routes etc. all we have had is info about joining the school 6th form!

Sorry to sound silly but who or what is funding agency. Its an academy if that makes a differnce

They'll be funded by the Education Funding Agency (EFA).

Ofsted also have a view on the information, advice and guidance (IAG) provided to students.

Since connections was disestablished in 2012 schools have a legal duty to provide independent IAG: www.sec-ed.co.uk/news/minister-reminds-schools-of-legal-duty-to-provide-independent-careers-iag

As that article in the link says, most teachers have done the A levels/uni route so aren't necessarily best placed to give an indication if any other routes...

Sixth form colleges and sixth forms in schools are OFSTED inspected which might be a starting point. Most have open days in the autumn so you could look around then. Look at their prospectuses and exam results to get an idea of what they offer and the sorts of universities their leavers go to, if that's where your dc is headed.

Although to an extent the school should offer some sort of post-16 information advice and guidance (IAG) you should still be proactive in the same way you presumably were when you were looking at primary and secondary schools.

Thanks everyone.
Oh yes, i am on the case. Myself and DH both followed science/ maths pathway some 35 years ago, so all quite new to us.
School have been critiscised before for poor communication, imparting of info etc. the Art dept staff are great so may be able to guide re courses

This is dreadful! Yes, the school should employ a qualified & impartial careers adviser who would be able to advise you and your DD about routes 16+. There is lots of information about post 16 options, but it can be a bit of a minefield working your way through it all.
I wrote a blog about choosing Level 3 courses, which includes A levels or BTEC Extended Diploma courses last year, which ia think is still current. It has links to organisations and websites that you will find helpful. See www.dragoncareerassociates.com/blog/choosing-a-level-subjects

If your school doesn't provide access to an impartial Careers Adviser, it is possible to see one privately. Look at the Professional Register of the Career Development Institute, for lists of advisers who are qualified & experienced:
www.cdiregister.net/public/report.aspx?memberqueryid=3022BD79-ACBE-44D9-83D2-6685EFA3BE49&nodeid=77752E42-D2EB-4532-A1F9-9E762E8EEEED

Thanks. I will enquire at school about the career advisor.
I am trying to work out difference between level 3 and a levels.
My DD is interested in a foundation diploma, entry to which is via Level 3 or a levels. Are they both regarded the same when applying for degree course?

Level 3 is the same level as A levels. The normal degree route to Art and Design degrees is via a Foundation diploma, entrance to which can either be via A levels or BTEC or other level 3 courses. Any of those routes would be perfectly acceptable for admission to Art degrees - it's the portfolio that really counts. Doing a BTEC or other L3 rather than A levels may mean she is able to get a portfolio together just from coursework sufficient for degree entry, as she'd be doing one subject FT, whereas the A level route means she'd probably have none art subjects to concentrate on.

Either is fine though.

In theory, yes all level 3 courses are on a par. However entry requirements are more than about levels; it may also depend on the knowledge acquired ie content of the course. So it depends on what DC want to do afterwards...

In the case of the pre-degree Foundation Diploma in Art & Design? Access to this is usually via an A level in an Art & Design subject. It is a one year course, that involves experimentation within art & design to find one's strengths & interests before applying to a degree course.

Increasingly however, students are applying straight to degree courses & skipping the Foundation course. Provided they know which area of design they want to do, and their portfolio is good enough, they can do this...

Your DD's real choice is between choosing a range of subjects via the A level route, or a BTEC Extended Diploma in Art & Design, Graphic Design, Fashion Design, or whatever. Choosing the BTEC route will involve specialising straight away. Is she ready to do this?
Because the BTEC route is FT Art/Design, there is less need to explore within design & therefore for the Foundation Diploma. It would be more common to go straight onto a degree course from them.

So before deciding, I would want to know:
Is DD 100% sure about a career in Art & Design? Has she ever considered other careers? What does she know about careers in this area ie how much research has she done & is her knowledge realistic?

If she is academic, and there is any doubt about choice of career/degree course then choosing the A level route would be safer. It would allow her to keep more options open, providing she didn't choose: Art, Graphics & Textiles! She would only need one A level in an Art/Design subject to apply for an appropriate degree course (or for the pre-degree Foundation course, if she decided she wanted to do that)...

Wow thank you.careersdragon.