[Closed] Vocational GCSE level qualifications

As long as she meets the entrance requirements to do Physics, Maths and Further Maths A-levels she is fine and dandy.

I teach Computer Science and Business and we offer both the iMedia and vocational Business courses (presume it's Enterprise & Marketing) alongside the GCSE Computer Science. None of the courses stop any of my students from getting onto A-Level Business or A-Level Computer Science and most unis in my experience are only be interested in A-Level results. Meeting A-Level entry requirements for the courses is the most important thing and Distinction* or 9 both get viewed as the same in my school when it comes to A-Level entry. They're good courses - we get loads of Dist* results because the students enjoy what they're doing.

Cool. Thats probably the most perfect answer I can give to my slightly concerned missus, cheers jimmydee! (and wally!)

A levels are the crucial decision and they don't like 'soft' subjects at that level but at GCSE it would be seen as widening her educational experience plus maybe extra IT skills to boot. Getting hold of eg John Carey's book of interesting science writings would help.
I took a science student for her interview at Girton College, they expect you to be very very conversant with what's on the syllabus and want you to display some serious questioning and thoughts about possible developments. They question interviewees to death and so people imagine they've screwed up whereas actually their current limits are being tested. The candidate I took got in and when they discovered her background they paid her rent for 3 years and the last I heard she was making a tidy sum in a lab, could be making a killing now.
NB shame Gove cancelled modular exams and coursework in the state sector.

OK.

I'm a Year 9 Tutor so have just spent 3 weeks interviewing parents and students and helping them through the GCSE Options process.

Additionally, I teach GCSE Comp Sci AND crucially I have taught Cambridge Nationals iMedia for the last 4 years.

Will post a more detailed answer later. Currently in staff meeting.

OK. Thanks for being so patient.

Firstly, it’s not easy. Choosing GCSE’s is a nightmare even at the best of times. My school would normally have dedicated a specific day to interviewing students in school followed by a “Subject Trade Fair” in the Sports Hall for parents and kids. (Lots of displays and demonstrations going on with Heads of Department/Senior Leaders always available to answer questions.)
I’m always there doing my bit to sell my subjects (D&T and Comp Sci) It’s always a good night. Parents always appreciate the one-to-one time and kids love seeing the potential in the subjects they might choose.
As you can guess, it’s all very different this year! I am sure you have watched the “on-line tours” that all departments are now doing. Also, I am sure you have been sent the information pack and started to match up subjects choices with timetabled blocks. How’s that going?

I’m interested to hear that your daughter has to choose a VOC subject as well as her more academic subjects. I’ve taught in a few schools now and often students follow “paths.” Sometimes the more academically able are guided towards the humanities + Sciences whilst the students who have other talents follow a more Vocational path. Sounds like your daughter’s school could have a really wide range of subjects and qualifications for her to choose, so that sounds really positive. Often, students will know which “path” they are destined for even before the Options forms are sent to Parents. Does it say which path on the Options Form?

Either way, your daughter sounds pretty switched on. Astrofizzlestick eh? That sounds cool! Has she definitely, chosen Triple Award Science? Also, Additional Maths? She Definitely choosing Computer Science as well? Having said all that, other posters have indicated that the subjects she chooses at GCSE will not impact on her ability to access a range of AS/A Level courses. To be honest, I’m not certain of that. Especially where the Sciences are concerned. I’ve had lots of conversations with parents who are dead set on their kids following a career in Medicine when the kid themselves hasn’t got a clue what they want to do, so my advice is always “do something you love” especially if you are not too sure what you want to do. However, your daughter sounds very focused and her GCSE choices should be as equally focused to what she wants to do in the future.

Now to iMedia and VOC courses in general. Do you know the teachers who are going to teach these subjects? Have they taught the course before? How long have they taught the course? What were the GCSE results for that subject like last year? It’s really important to know these things as Vocational Courses take a lot of skill to teach. The traditional teaching model is that a student does a bit of work. They hand it in for marking. They are given pointers for improvement and they make the necessary changes to get a higher grade. All sounds sensible right? Well VOC Courses don’t follow that model. A student must complete the work in the allotted time under assessed conditions AND MAKE THEIR OWN IMPROVEMENTS WITHOUT TEACHER INPUT. Many schools have fallen foul of the course administration rules and have been charged with malpractice. This means that students now can’t share their work, they can’t compare their work with their peers, they can not use teacher input to improve their work, they can not use common sources of information, they can not use templates etc etc…. the list goes on.

This all means that in a VOC GCSE course, the student experience is VERY different from other GCSE’s. VOC students need to be self-motivated and on-the-ball YET it is often the least self-motivated and the least on-the-ball students who end up doing a VOC course. Does your daughter want to be in a small class with Ryan who got done for TWOC’ing last night or Chantelle who spends most of her time checking her phone and doing her makeup? Sorry but that is the reality and big apologies if your kids are called Ryan and Chantelle!

iMedia (specifically) is a bloody nightmare. (Huge amounts rules/regs and paperwork for teachers and really critical deadlines that students MUST adhere to at specific times of the year otherwise the school gets hit with exam re-entry fees. Actually on that point, teachers can not give feedback on a students work before its submitted for final marking so some teachers are asking students to resit and resit and resit the same piece of coursework multiple times in an effort to gain a higher grade. Madness!! Our school got rid of iMedia this year and thank god for that. Teachers with software and programming experience are few and far between in Secondary Schools. That means your daughter will most likely be taught Software Animation and Desktop Publishing/Graphics by a non-specialist.

PLEASE NOT iMEDIA. DO NOT PUT YOUR DAUGHTER THROUGH THAT!!!!

Sorry for the rant! But when I saw the words iMEDIA…. I came out in a cold sweat. In the end, you know your daughter best. I am sure you all find the best decision for you. At the very least, contact the specific Subject Teachers and ask some questions. Hope that helps a little. When does the Options Form need to be completed?

ohhhh and please don't get started on GCSE Comp Sci and the madness that is the "Non-Examined Assessment! What you think Jimmydee1984?

BUMP

I taught Beteck science. I have a midwife, genetisits, radiologist and architect amongst my ex students.

There are a lot of people who looked down their noses at that course, it seems to have done my classes very little harm 🙂

BeTECK? What the hell is that?

Is that the course where Hydrogen is spelled hidrogen, physics is spelled fisixs and the earth is a spinning disk carried on the back of four turtles?

At least get your spelling right , man!!!!