BTEC & NVQ Tutors
We provide a comprehensive service tailored for students that are learning/ pursuing BTEC and NVQ courses, assisting with application procedures to BTEC and NVQ courses and support with school open days and interview advice. An important part of an education experience is not only matching the child to a school where they will thrive academically but moreover to place them where the pupil will be happy and flourish, learning what they are passionate about. Our BTEC & NVQ Tutors can guide you through these qualifications and internships.
What are BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) courses?
The Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) courses are specialist industry job-related qualifications, aimed at learners who are interested in a given subject or sector but are not yet prepared to commit to a career route yet. There are over 2,000 BTEC qualifications across a wide breadth of 16 job and skill sectors, making BTECs a popular option for a large number of students entering into their college careers. Due to the progression link between BTEC courses and industry jobs, learners studying Level 2 or 3 BTEC subjects can (in most cases) study academic qualifications alongside their BTEC or, take part in apprenticeships as part of their wider practice. Learners on Level 2 or 3 can also choose to solely study their BTEC, with the majority of Level 2 and 3 BTEC courses running an average of 3 full-time days out of the week. Combining theory with practical, BTEC enables learners to engage across a wide range of differing skills, with personal development also a key target for learners. BTEC courses are available across a wide range of levels, starting from Entry level through to Level 7 (postgraduate study equivalent). BTEC qualifications were introduced in 1984 and have been awarded by the Pearson Edexcel exam board from 1996. The introduction of BTEC courses was founded on the premise of delivering courses that enabled learners to gain an educational experience that would be relevant in a chosen vocational career route. BTECs are accepted by the majority of UK higher education centres and Universities as certificates that demonstrate a learner’s ability to move on to a higher level of study. BTEC courses are best suited to learners that prefer practical work, with most BTEC courses carrying a higher percentage of coursework-based assessment compared to exam-based assessment.
What is an NVQ (National Vocational Qualification)?
The National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) is an award that is received through the assessment and training of industry work-based study and training post GCSE. The NVQ framework was replaced by the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) in 2015, but the term NVQ is still applicable for study of occupational standards and assessed competency in the workplace. National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are built on national occupational standards of performance that describe the expectations of people that are competent in their field of industry. These standards cover current best practice, adaptability to future requirements and knowledge that underpins competent performance within the specific field. NVQs do not have to be completed in a specific amount of time, taken by full-time employees or by students still in school and college alike, through work placement and part-time jobs. To effectively achieve an NVQ, learners must demonstrate their ability to work in their chosen industry placement following the standards made by the NVQ association.
What is a Vocational course?
Vocational courses are based on developing a learner’s practical skills, a training programme that is less focused on academic study. Vocation means that the course is tailored to prepare learners to enter into a specific workforce which requires its workers to be skilled using particular equipment and knowledgeable on appropriate health and safety rules and on technical information. This building of a specified skillset enables learners to pursue a practical career, suited to their interests and abilities. Learners that are better suited to practical assessments and coursework over academic exams are likely to thrive under vocational course conditions, able to demonstrate their knowledge in a practical way.
Vocational course Levels:
Vocational courses are made up of differing Levels to enable learners of different educational backgrounds and abilities to enter into their desired vocation. Previous academic grades and achievements and work experience are considered during the course application process. Vocational Levels span from Entry Level/ Level 1 to Level 4, with learners moving towards Level 4 and passing Levels in accordance with appropriate work submission, attendance and behaviour throughout the course.
Entry Level and Level 1 is the level suitable for learners that do not pass their GCSEs whilst at Secondary school and is equivalent to three or four GCSEs at grades D to G.
Level 2 is the level that learners start on if they have achieved four GCSEs at grade D and above, with some level 2 courses requiring learners who have not gained their mathematics and English GCSEs to study them whilst on this level. A level 2 qualification is equivalent to four or five GCSE grades at A* to C.
Level 3 is appropriate for learners who have passed four to five+ GCSEs at grade C or above, with most Level 3 courses requiring learners to have a grade A* to C in maths and/or English to enter the vocation at this level. Level 3 is equivalent to two or three A Levels. Vocational courses are a route to employment and/or higher education, with most university courses accepting a Level 3 qualification for entry.
Level 4 is a course equivalent to a Foundation Degree or Higher National Diploma (HND).
What are the BTEC course types?
BTEC courses are split into three main levels of learning; BTEC Firsts, BTEC Nationals and BTEC Apprenticeships.
- BTEC Firsts are for learners studying at entry level or Level 2 and are a similar level to GCSE study. This area of study encourages learners to study multiple vocational subjects to gain a wider perspective on their possible job prospects and to establish likes and dislikes in certain fields.
- BTEC Nationals start from Level 3 and are the equivalent of between 2 and 3 A levels (dependent on the course). Universities and higher/ further education establishments value BTECs like they do A Levels, enabling learners to pursue higher education and employment.
- BTEC Apprenticeships can be studied between Levels 2-5 across a wide range of 25+ sectors, enabling learners to spend more time learning practically in working conditions.
What are the Entry Requirements for BTECs?
Entry Requirements or BTEC courses are dependent on various factors including the particular course you endeavour to pursue, the school or college you are applying to study at and the level at which you wish to study. Levels 1 and 2 are equivalent to GCSE level learning, Level 3 is the equivalent study of 3 A Level subjects and Levels 6 and 7 are University degree (undergraduate and postgraduate level) equivalent, making BTECs an incredibly popular option for many young students in the UK. Your child’s intended school or college should communicate the necessary grades that your child needs to meet to study at their intended level. Funding is in place nationwide for learners to attain a passing GCSE grade for Mathematics and English, meaning your child will have to study this alongside their BTEC course if they do not pass in their GCSEs. Our BTEC & NVQ tutors can help you achieve the top marks in these qualifications and guide you through careers planning.
BTEC Qualifications:
BTEC courses offer a wide range of qualifications across 16 skills and job sectors. These include:
- Applied Sciences
- Art and Design
- Business
- Childcare
- Construction
- Engineering
- Media
- Health and Social Care
- Hospitality
- ICT
- Land-Based
- Performing Arts
- Public Services
- Sport
- Travel and Tourism
BTEC courses are divided into subject specific units, with modules that learners must complete work towards. This work is usually based around evidencing expansion of knowledge, development of skills and the growing ability to understand the requirements and rules of the industry that the learner is looking to pursue as a career option. Various BTEC subjects will have optional units that learners can pursue to broaden their skillsets, with the remaining BTECs consisting of core units which all learners must participate in to pass. Dependent on the specific vocational area, learners will be required to pass practical assessments to pass their course, for example; participating in the making of a short film in Media, creating a body of work that reflects a given title in Art & Design, or safely isolating a circuit in Electrical Engineering.
BTEC & NVQ Tutors
If you would like to arrange BTEC & NVQ Tutors, schools entrance consultancy or enquire about our schools placement service in England as well as schools entrance tests please call us on Tel: +44 (0) 207 665 6606 or you can send us an email via our contact form.
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https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/about-us/qualification-brands/btec.html