GCSE BTEC year 11 - ASD

[fiwishicouldbehappier]

My son is in year 11, he was diagnosed with ASD and ADD last year. It has been a tumultuous ride to this point. He is home from his specialist school he is a weekly boarder he is supposed to complete his BTEC art and GCSE photography, to be honest this whole Covid 19 has completely triggered him into the most negative spiral it is like living in a war zone. He hates home schooling and wants to go to school for the strict routine and structure

He is unable to work from home despite taking meds for his ADD. His art teacher is expecting a final piece and sketchbook and is gently hassling deadline is 1 May. Photography - he's refusing to do that he is predicted a 6 but he's not doing a thing.

I just don't know what to do. His mental health is my priority but equally I know him well enough to know he will torture himself and me forever more about this.

I don't know what I'm asking but any advice gratefully received. Thank you.

Does he have an EHCP OP? And if so why can't he go to school?

My DS same scenario. We have been categorically told that no work done at home can be used towards final grades. Basically they would be unable to prove that a third party hadn’t done the work. There is further info on this on the exam boards websites.
My DS won’t engage in any distance work either and to be honest, battling is too much stress for all right now!

We have similar issues with my ds, although he’s Y13. He was called last week, after being told he didn’t need to complete the BTEC unit he had yet to finish and told that he does need to do it and they’ve brought the deadline forward two weeks. He had another deadline for an online EPQ this week, so now he has ridiculous amounts of work to get done, all for the same deadlines.

He has ASD with a strong PDA profile and pressure is guaranteed to stop him being able to work, so this is completely counter-productive.

It’s an absolute mess. No official OFQUAL/Gov guidance or updates on BTECS since 9th April and that just said they are working on it and will let everyone know. Nothing on OFQUAL’s website and pupils at different schools all seem to be being told different things.

To me what @Lanbury said about not being able to verify the work done at home makes sense, but no-one actually seems to know what is going on.

I read this link too

apple.news/Avze407ZXTdCvUyh8j6WiQg

And this thread on here is interesting too:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3870182-GCSEs-2020

@Lanbury I can’t open the Apple news link.

The other thread is interesting, but only relates to guidance for GCSE and A Levels, not BTEC or vocational. As far as I can tell, there doesn’t seem to be any up to day guidance regarding those courses at all.

I had a look on some of the student forums and it seems they’re all being told different things, as individual schools and colleges scramble to work out what it’s most likely they’ll be asked to do by OFQUAL. Guidance is clear for GCSE and A Level, but everything else is completely up in the air.

Well we've had another heated chat. He's about to down tools on his BTEC art deadline 1 May. He says he's not working from home. What would happen? The teacher is just piling on pressure. Lack of clarification on BTECS is driving me nuts.

He's not doing any work on his GCSE photography either but presumably he will be graded on what he has submitted?

You all have my sympathies such challenging times, my DS' ASD seems completely utterly debilitating right now.

@fiwishicouldbehappier to be honest. From what I’ve read, his GCSE should be graded on work completed prior to lockdown. Teachers have already been given guidance on what evidence they need to submit and it was made pretty clear that pupils shouldn’t be asked to do any more work from that point with regard to grading.

As for the BTECs, I think it’s a case of do whatever is necessary to keep the peace and keep them as settled as they can be under current circumstances. Then just one foot in front of the other until things become clear and deal with the situation then.

Things are hard enough for our children dealing with typical, everyday transition and changes, without all this chaos on top, so I think we have to just cut them a break and promise we’ll do whatever we can to sort things out when the time comes to move on.

My lad has tried to work on his today, but has been so stressed he’s given himself a migraine, which he then tried to work through - what’s the point in that? There’s no way he’s producing his best work under these conditions.

He’s fortunate, in that he already had an unconditional offer to do a supported internship in his favoured field. So, technically, his grades don’t matter, but it will be devastating to his self-esteem if he doesn’t do well and like your say about your lad, he won’t be able to let it go, even though it’s beyond his control. He’s had a really tough couple of years, but had really turned things around since his mock exams and at his Annual Review they were keen to stress how hard he’d been working and how much better he was performing. I just hope all that is reflected in the grades they give him or he’s going to be devastated and the effect will be long-lasting and far-reaching for him.

Sending you my sympathies as well. I hope your lad can find a way to cope with everything that’s going on and we all get answers re the BTEC situation soon.

I don't know if this is any help?

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/879024/Letter_from_Secretary_of_State_for_Education_to_Sally_Collier_-VTQs-__9_April_2020.pdf

Well just had email this morning that he’s just passed his BTEC in motor mech!!!! (ABC Board!!) so seems like stuff already being submitted and turned around!!

@Lanbury. That’s great news. The government and OFQUAL released more guidance last night, but as I’m mid tribunal prep, I have only just had chance to read it.

As usual it’s very wordy, with lots of caveat’s, but essentially, unless your vocations is one that requires an assessment of competence in a technical field which requires assessment of skills a the end of the course, you should be getting a calculated result. However, it seems it is still be left to individual centres as to whether students have to complete any incomplete assignments or they base their results purely on previously completed work.

If you have already completed sufficient assignments and assessments for centres to come up with a reliable calculated grade, that should be what happens.

Here’s the links for the guidance:

OFQUAL Statement

OFQUAL official guidance booklet

link to .gov info hub for vocational qualifications

Damn, second link didn’t work.

OFQUAL Booklet

Thank you for this info what do you think about BTEC art? Can he stop (please please let that be) his deadline is 1 May he isn't going to manage a final piece. The pressure is ridiculous.

I'm not terribly impressed with his specialist school right now so little guidance except keep working at what cost? We had an epic meltdown about everything and nothing last night the language was horrendous our poor neighbours. I had to go out for a walk for two hours to mentally calm down and get away from him and the house.

I wish he could go to school but it's 1 1/2 hours away school also resistant to only having key workers children right now.

Sorry for ranting....

My son isn’t doing art but is doing photography (I know you said your DS is) and he should have been going in to do a final piece which would have taken all day at school in form of a practical exam and it is now not happening and they are (so the school tells me) using what has been done so far. I am under the impression that art is of a similar format...? I don’t really see how they can take work into account from home without verifying it’s genuine?!! It will cause a real issue if kids like mine don’t get the chance but others could get a relative who’s a professional artist for example to finish things off for them, so surely the only way is to take a representation of work so far? Obviously my worry is that DS was tweaking things to improve bits he’d already done so won’t get the grades he should, and he’s also doing DT and was pinning his hopes on the final “make” for which he’s put in a lot of planning but will never get the chance to assemble and given that is where his strength is (not the written!) it is a worry he won’t get fair representation. I would be dead mad if other schools are letting them finish where some aren’t.... it just can’t work without the same rules for everyone!!!

@fiwishicouldbehappier.

I get the impression that, unless it’s a BTEC that actually accredits a skill that could be dangerous or problematic if a pass was achieved without them reaching the required level (eg electrics, gas safety, etc), then it will be a calculated grade, based on existing work.

There is also provision for ensuring pupils with SEN aren’t disadvantaged and I assume that would include those with ASD and anxiety, who are unable to work under current conditions.

If it were me, I would let it drop now. It’s not worth the stress and affect on his or your mental health. If worst comes to worst and he doesn’t get the grade he wants they are arranging for pupils to be able to take the assessments again as soon as is practical (either during the summer or the autumn term).

I hope he’s having a calmer day today.

@fiwishicouldbehappier

A child with an EHC Plan is classed as a vulnerable person. Could you make a case for his needs being met better at school? Lots of info here:

www.ipsea.org.uk/news/ipsea-update-on-covid-19-school-closures-and-sen-provision

www.ipsea.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=d9b07905-742a-4017-9689-7f9e3b931409

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people