BTEC stands for Business and Technology Education Council. The BTEC Extended Diploma qualification represents a vocational alternative to A Levels or IB (whereas BTEC First courses are equivalent to GCSEs). Currently BTEC qualifications are offered by the Pearson Edexcel Exam Board.
BTEC qualifications can be studied as double awards (equivalent to 2 A Levels) or triple awards (equivalent to 3 A Levels). Students may also choose to study for an A Level qualification to complement their BTEC studies and attract a higher UCAS point score.
In the UK, the BTEC suite of qualifications also extends to BTEC Apprenticeships, which offer a balance of ‘on and off the job’ training in a specific career. At present, such apprenticeships are not available in the UAE.
BTEC courses are best suited to those students who have a strong leaning to a particular career or sector. In addition, the courses may well suit those students who demonstrate their talents best through ongoing assessment rather than in high stakes examinations. BTEC courses typically consist of 18 modules, for which students submit coursework to demonstrate competency.
More than 95% of UK universities accept BTEC qualifications. Some high performing universities require students to have an A Level in addition to BTEC, and students who have particular interest in a specific institution are advised to check this with the university prior to commencing their Post 16 studies.
In the UK, BTECs are offered in a broad spectrum of diverse subjects areas such as Land Management, Media, Childcare and Construction. In the UAE, schools typically offer BTECs in one or more of; Art & Design, Business, Sport and Performing Arts.
BTECs final grades are split into three and may be awared in any combination of 'Starred Distinction, Distinction, Merit and Pass'. A top performing student would receive three Starred Distinction grades. Other students may receive award combinations such as Merit, Merit, Pass. Each grade attracts a different UCAS tariff and is described as being equivalent to a certain level of A Level grades. The table below demonstrates this:
BTEC grade | UCAS tariff | UCAS equivalence to A-Level | Equivalence to A-Level |
Starred distinction | 56 | A* | A |
Distinction | 48 | A | Between B and C |
Merit | 32 | C | Between C and D |
Pass | 16 | E | Between D and E |
There are an increasing number of UAE school now offering BTEC qualifications alongside the more traditional academic routes.
School name | Community | Region |
---|---|---|
Akeley Wood School | Buckinghamshire | South East England |
Appleford School | Wiltshire | South West England |
Ardingly College | West Sussex | South East England |
Bede's Senior School | East Sussex | South East England |
Bosworth Independent College | Northamptonshire | East Midlands |
Brentwood School | Essex | East of England |
Bromsgrove School | Worcestershire | West Midlands |
Clayesmore School | Dorset | South West England |
Dallam School | Cumbria | North West England |
DLD College London | Westminster | Greater London |
Framlingham College | Suffolk | East of England |
Frensham Heights | Surrey | South East England |
Frewen College | East Sussex | South East England |
Gordonstoun | Moray | Scotland |
Gresham's (Senior School) | Norfolk | East Midlands |
Kingham Hill School | Oxfordshire | South East England |
Kingston Grammar School | Surrey | South East England |
LGS Stoneygate | Leicestershire | West Midlands |
Malvern St James Girls’ School | Worcestershire | West Midlands |
Millfield (Senior School) | Somerset | South West England |
Moorland Private School | Lancashire | North West England |
Mount Kelly | Devon | South West England |
Oakham School | Rutland | East of England |
Plymouth College | Devon | South West England |
Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate | Yorkshire | North East England |
Rossall School | Lancashire | North West England |
Royal Hospital School | Suffolk | East of England |
Sexey's School | Somerset | South West England |
Sidcot School | Somerset | South West England |
St Joseph’s College | Suffolk | East of England |
Taunton School | Somerset | South West England |
The BRIT School | Croydon | Greater London |
The Hammond School | Cheshire | North East England |
Tring Park School for the Performing Arts | Hertfordshire | East of England |
Uppingham School | Leicestershire | West Midlands |
Westonbirt School | Gloucestershire | South West England |
Whitgift School | Croydon | Greater London |
Windermere School (Senior School & Sixth Form) | Cumbria | North West England |
Worth School | West Sussex | South East England |
Wycliffe Senior School | Gloucestershire | South West England |