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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.

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GasLIghtShining · 01/09/2015 11:47

I can not believe how snobby people are about BTECs and that includes the This thread is just what we need. My DS is just going into his second year and loves it.

Fifi BTEC is very different to 'A' levels. My DS did BTEC Sport at school so he understood how it worked before starting college. Cricketballs advice is good as they really do need to understand the marking works. I would contact the one of the tutor and ask if you can go in and have it all explained. Then ask your DD how it works. It should match.

Cricketballs Are there a any differences between subjects? Just wondering if I make a comment from my DS experience it won't be relevant to another course.

lemon888 Your DD (and you) need to stand your ground of BTEC is the way she wants to go. I know your DD is not looking at unis the moment but a lot of unis will accept BTECs although the likes of Oxford etc won't (another argument to use for your DH).

Good luck to everyone.

Kez100 · 01/09/2015 12:11

EllenJane

Speak to the College (they often have open days/evenings in the term coming up) about what they offer in terms of IT. Also, if there is more than one college locally offering it, then visit them all so the student can decide which one they would prefer to attend and the modules they would prefer to cover.

My son's course was "advertised" as two IT courses and he didn't know which one to pick - however, in reality, the first year everyone did and it covered allsorts. Then, in the second year they choose the stream they prefer to follow. That is where they "split" into the two courses, so it's not something they need to decide until they have some idea of how they are getting on.

catslife · 01/09/2015 12:25

EllenJane we will need to compare notes on ICT courses. dd is taking a Digital Media based level 2 course which she is enjoying and has been busy designing websites and computer games. She starts Y11 next year. So we are looking for a local college that has a level 3 equivalent if possible. Local sixth form college offers Cambridge technicals is this the same as a BTEC?
As well as looking at what the courses offer, I would also ask about progressions routes some would be better for students who are very good at Maths for example.
lemon888 some sixth forms insist on a high grade at Maths for science A levels so BTECs would suit a child who is good at Science but not strong enough at Maths to take A level.

Kez100 · 01/09/2015 12:31

My son's college allowed him to keep his options open and he applied for A levels and knowing he would do IT if he didn't pull off great grades. However, he always loved sound of the IT course so, even if he had got the GCSE grades, he may well have ended up doing the BTEC.

Anyway, he didn't pull off the higher grades, he ended up a C grade profile, so happily joined the BTEC IT. He has loved it and done very well and is buzzing to go back and hopes to secure an apprenticeship. He is being joined (although they are year 1) by two friends who started A levels last year with slightly better GCSE grades than he did (B profile) and did get D's, E's and U's this year at AS level.

FifiandDD · 01/09/2015 12:44

My DD also did very well in her GCSE's and could have stayed on for A levels at her secondary school. But art and design is her passion, Product design was withdrawn as an A level option, so in many ways the decision to start again at a college where she doesn't know anyone was taken out of her hands. It is what she wants to do, will give her a qualification that is acceptable to unis (if she goes down that route). So now we are looking forward to finding out exactly what it all involves.

GasLIghtShining · 01/09/2015 14:30

Fifi Don't know much (read nothing!) about the art and design courses but I get the impression that BTEC courses are much more relevant than 'A' levels.

As far as not knowing anyone there will be a lot of students in the same position.

Hope your DD enjoys it.

cricketballs · 01/09/2015 14:46

lemon - rather than looking at the subject areas that BTEC offer, you are best contacting your local providers, as a number of them will not be available at every centre due to staffing.

GasLight - the difference between the courses are the content taught/assessment criteria; they all work in the same basic manner

Kez100 · 01/09/2015 15:58

My DD did an art and design BTEC in photography. She applied to four Uni courses and received four interviews. After interview, she knew exactly the one she wanted and, luckily, they gave her an unconditional offer and scholarship. She is about to go into year 2.

Some art degree courses recommend A level students do a foundation course first to give them the quality required in their portfolio but it does depend. I don't think it matters that much - one more year of education can't be seen as negative really.

On my DDs degree course the A level students were (generally) better prepared for essays and the BTEC students better prepared for research, extended workbooks and practical techniques. They were also joined by some more mature students with all sorts of qualities and skills. The first year gave them all time to "catch up" on the areas they needed to.

lemon888 · 01/09/2015 22:17

Thanks ladies/mums. I do want to encourage dd to do uni later on but just not sure if A levels are for her. Her maths teacher said she can get an A or B in GCSE through hard work so implied that A level maths will not be a wise choice. However dd likes bio, chem, food tec. For many years our local FE only offers Catering type couses so it will not be what she wants. We dont live in london so public transports arent great. Thats partly the reason i started looking now so by the end of yr9 we will have a better idea what to expect.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 01/09/2015 22:30

Thanks Kez. I will ask questions at the open evenings at college, I'm just afraid they'll be 'selling' their courses and might not be impartial. There's really only one college locally that DS2 would be able to travel to independently which is a shit reason for choosing it, but unfortunately I have to be pragmatic. I work in a school and am on my own so can't give him a lift. His ASD makes him very anxious on public transport.

I think Cambridge Technical is similar to BTEC. BTEC is Edexcel, and Cambridge technical is run by another exam board.

lemon888 · 01/09/2015 23:03

Thanks Ellen, will look into Cambridge Technical .

Kez100 · 02/09/2015 04:36

Yes they will be selling their courses. Ask about the units they cover and then do some independent research: ask on here, get your DC to ask on student room, look up the unit detail online.

Ask the college what their average GCSE point intake is to the course and what percentage get DDD or better on leaving. Where do their students go? What Unis? What courses? What jobs or

Kez100 · 02/09/2015 04:38

(sorry I got cut off)........apprenticeships.

What other extra curricular does the college offer.

GasLIghtShining · 02/09/2015 22:05

Lemon My DD did food technology and also food and nutrition A level as she enjoyed the subjects but the local tech only did vocational catering qualifications. Unfortunately her other choices were not good and it it ruined her time st college and affected her final grades (got Cs so not bad but she now admits it could have been better) in the food subjects. She did enjoy the food side and it certainly helped in a training course at work where she got almost full marks as it was like revision for her!

The maths teacher has implied that A level is not a good idea but what have the other teacher said? It is possible to do a combination of BTEC and A levels.

It might be an idea to ask your DD what she might be interested in if she did go to university and have a look to see what results they want. It will help in picking what subjects to study.

Happy researching

GasLIghtShining · 02/09/2015 22:16

Where i live there is the choice of sixth form college or the local tech. People are very snobby about and think think the sixth form is so much better.

When my DS was looking he only wanted to go to look at the sixth form (he did already have an offer from a college out of area) and I made him go to the tech. The difference in the attitude of the staff. The ones at sixth form looked as if they didn't want to be there. The staff at the tech were so enthusiastic about the course. What a difference and my DS chose the tech. It has been a good decision as he on target for top marks

So don't rule out anywhere until you have visited.

lemon888 · 03/09/2015 11:57

Had a look around there doesn't seem to be any Food Tec type courses other than A levels in our county. However many unis seem to accept Btec as entry requirement or offer HND in similar studies.

SugarPlumTree · 03/09/2015 17:56

Hello, can I join please? DD currently doing a BTEC alongside 3 Alevels plus resitting Maths, which is not a sensible workload for her. She's not really enjoyed beng back at school and has a place on a L3 Cambridge Technical Media course, just needs the late enrollment interview next Tuesday.

I think it will suit her better but she's currently a bit nervous about the size of the College and slightly undecided.

T&T she will probably be walking past your DD if she goes, remembering something we said on a previous thread.

Nicole that is great that DD got the apprenticeship and the BTEC Smile

Original poster
TeenAndTween · 03/09/2015 20:20

Sugar I've lost track a bit. DD is off to Brock. But we did think BP was v nice and had she gone for A levels it would have been there.

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SugarPlumTree · 03/09/2015 20:33

I was being being cryptic sorry! DD might indeed be joining your DD. Will have to see what next week brings...

Original poster
TeenAndTween · 03/09/2015 21:00

Hope you get things sorted.

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thunderbird69 · 06/09/2015 12:25

Anyone else surprised at the timetable? My DS only has 1 full day and 3 half days at college. He has not been great at independent study, I fear he will be sleeping/messaging friends when he's home alone.

HookedOnHooking · 06/09/2015 12:33

Hello! More Btec-ers!

DD2 starts level 3 film and TV tomorrow. She did the level 2 media last year and got on brilliantly (got Distinction).

Original poster
TeenAndTween · 06/09/2015 13:50

thunder no timetable yet, DD will get hers at induction tomorrow.
Then Tuesday she is off on a trip and proper timetable starts Wednesday.

Due to buses, unless she has a day with nothing at all, she will be going in every morning and leaving at the end of the day, no half days at home here. I will probably need to discuss with her what she is planning to do in free sessions to help her stay focussed.

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SugarPlumTree · 06/09/2015 18:53

DD very excited as day off again tomorrow as we've sent email advising school she is leaving and isn't enrollng until Tuesday. She'll miss the Induction days and didn't do the taster day so will be steep learning curve at beginning but will have to cope.

Course info states 15 teaching hours a week, how that translates into timetable no idea yet. I know that the Sports BTEC got day off last year and this year L2 Photography is 3 days.

DD may also need to stay in all day due to bus but last year our route had a lunchtime bus you could pay extra for, no idea if will be the same. I think a fair bit of her work will be group work and she'll need college equipment for a lot too. We will also need that discussion about time management...

Original poster
TeenAndTween · 06/09/2015 20:21

Sugar
At enrolment she'll need to pick her enrichment option - has she seen the list?
The bus info has been emailed to people who have paid for buses, so I guess it is now on the website too. There certainly is at least one lunchtime bus running.

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