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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

BTECs starting 2015 - General support thread

692 replies

TeenAndTween · 26/08/2015 16:21

Is there anyone else around whose child is starting a BTEC rather than A levels? Should we stay on this board or move to Further Education?

My DD has enrolled for Travel & Tourism.

OP posts:
GasLIghtShining · 06/11/2015 20:59

If you ask my DD about her two years at college she will tell you how much she hated it but it will be all about bad subject choices, lack of support from tutors, college more concerned about bums on seats to get money etc etc, shit careers advice. Nothing about friends. It wasn't top priority - as far as she was concerned the other problems were more important.

Is your DD worried about not gelling or has she mentioned it in a passing comment? Sorry if you have already explained it

SugarPlumTree · 07/11/2015 08:17

She is a bit hacked off about it, feels uncomfortable in class. I think starting late didn't help , hopefully she'll find her feet in a bit. But she only has 3 days with them so could be worse.
She needs to get a lot in for marking on Monday so busy weekend for her.

GasLIghtShining · 08/11/2015 16:40

Hope it all sorts itself out Sugar. You are right it could be worse!!

Not much work being done here - too busy watching the footy

SugarPlumTree · 09/11/2015 17:42

Hectic day yesterday with lots to get done to hand on today. It got done and she went in despite feeling rubbish but came home early.

She did say she thinks she is starting to get the hang of it a bit more.

T&T how is DD?

Original poster
TeenAndTween · 09/11/2015 20:10

Sugar Thank you for asking.

Not great really. Sad

Boy related issues causing large emotional upset.
Also causing highly distressed parents wondering about her general thinking skills. Related disruption from not being able to concentrate on college work and getting behind (though time to catch up before next deadlines).

OP posts:
SugarPlumTree · 09/11/2015 20:15

I'm really sorry to hear that Flowers I've heard a few people say the first term is quite an adjustment, let's hope they are far more in the swing of it after Christmas and things get easier.

HSMMaCM · 09/11/2015 22:34

Went to watch DD's Btec dance show today. Her costume fell apart half way through !!!!

SugarPlumTree · 10/11/2015 07:21

Oh no, poor DD! That must have been stressful to watch.

HSMMaCM · 10/11/2015 22:45

Costume stayed on tonight GrinGrin

GasLIghtShining · 10/11/2015 22:56

Glad the costume stayed on tonight!

SugarPlumTree · 11/11/2015 07:31

That's a relief HSM Grin

DD not feeling particularly well but to her credit is soldiering on. Tutor she doesn't like is off for 3 weeks which helps. She's found she works better listening to music. Unfortunately she managed to lose a chunk of work yesterday as she didn't save it.

SugarPlumTree · 11/11/2015 10:20

She's on Line. Apparently one tutor told her what she handed in is too much GCSE photography student like plus her best writing is messy.

Trying to persuade her to tell tutor about her Dyspraxia. It's a very sore subject witb her as she thinks she was misdiagnosed and has ADD plus hypermibility. I really need her to accept she has to ask for help and own the problem. Hopefully she will once she had thought on it.

SugarPlumTree · 11/11/2015 11:25

Sounding a bit more positive, she also said her art work and photos are very good so there are positives.

GasLIghtShining · 11/11/2015 13:39

Good that are positives.

She needs to get into the habit of saving as she goes along. If I am typing a large document I will save it at intervals so if something goes wrong I only lose a small part rather than the whole.

I wish your DD would realize that she is not doing herself any favours by not speaking to a tutor. In a few years time she will be kicking herself for not doing so. Unfortunately you know that but of course as parents we know bugger all!

SugarPlumTree · 11/11/2015 13:45

So do I GasLight and I have told her many times. But as you say, what do we know !!

I have found that she sometimes will come round once she's thought it over. Most of the class are hacked off as the arty tutor has criticised a lot of people's work. One tutor didn't tell them he was off for 3 weeks and he forgot to tell them about stuff for Monday. And now 3rd tutor going off for op soon.

HSMMaCM · 13/11/2015 06:55

DD has a drama assessment today. The drama teacher asked them all to wear different coloured tops, so she can refer to them by colour. The kids said, "you are aware it is rag week?" She can refer to them as the cheerleader, the sumo wrestler, etc Grin. I'm sending DD with spare clothes just in case ... Drama teacher screamed at her poor planning apparently.

DD says she thinks she will have to talk about feminism in some context and I pointed out that being a feminist doesn't just mean being equal to men, it also means being free to make choices to be a model, cheerleader, builder, or whatever.

SugarPlumTree · 13/11/2015 10:34

Fingers firmly crossed for her HSM . Why why why do people think screaming at someone is conducive to getting themselves organised? It's just going to stress them out and would send DD into panic and forget more.

HSMMaCM · 13/11/2015 13:38

Drama teacher was screaming at her own poor planning, rather than the kids. She did worry them a bit by offloading her stress though.

SugarPlumTree · 13/11/2015 16:24

Well I guess that is better than screaming at the students but a bit Hmm

HSMMaCM · 13/11/2015 17:38

It went "ok" anyway Grin

SugarPlumTree · 13/11/2015 17:40

Well thank flipping goodness for that Grin it's Friday Wine

Original poster
TeenAndTween · 13/11/2015 18:40

I agree. It's been a tough 7 days here.
DH and I are having Wine and take-away tonight to recover.

OP posts:
Kez100 · 16/11/2015 19:19

Sugar Plum, criticism (Or crits) are a very big part of the arts. Try and enable your DD to treat it as feedback on her work with advice to improve.

My DD had an awful crit last week at uni. Her work on a project was literally pulled apart by all 40 peers and tutor too. Even her mate called it brutal! But she noted the comments, went back, thought about them, incorporated them and now feels her final piece is so much stronger for it.

To bring out their best they do need to be able to dig deep and understand its really not personal. It's done to help.

Having said that, I'd not be able to cope as my daughter does. So I have a lot of sympathy with your DD

SugarPlumTree · 18/11/2015 07:05

Thanks Kez and your poor DD, that does sound brutal

Think what is getting tip her is the lecturer is pulling apart everyone's work but it isn't very constructive as no one any the wiser about how to improve.

Progress report for 2/3 subjects yesterday. Currently she is P/M. Target grade is DM/MM. DD has heard them talking about Distinction merits and merit merits but has no idea what they are. I thought there was D*, D, M and P so am also confused.

Also does anyone know anything about just doing one year instead of 2 years?

Original poster
TeenAndTween · 18/11/2015 09:24

Sugar I can explain the grading to you.

It looks like your DD is doing a '2 A level equivalent' course.

All the marks for the modules are added up and then turned into grades.
No idea on the actual marks (so made up in my example) but it goes something like this:

1000-1200 Pass Pass
1201-1400 Merit Pass
1401-1600 Merit Merit
1601-1800 Distinction Merit
1801-2000 Dist. Dist.
2001-2200 Dist* Dist
2201-2400 Dist Dist

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