Sixth Form Subjects

What is a BTEC and CTech and how do they differ to A levels? 

CTechs (Cambridge Technical Extended Certificates) and BTECs (Business and Technology Education Council) are both vocational Level 3 qualifications. A Levels are also Level 3 qualifications. CTechs and BTECS differ to A Levels in that they are taught and assessed using different methods. Whereas most A Levels are assessed at the end of the two year course with several examinations in the summer of Upper Sixth, CTechs and BTECs are assessed throughout the course, with a large coursework element making up the final mark.   

What is the difference between a BTEC and CTech? 

Both are graded via the same grading system: Distinction*; Distinction; Merit; Pass. The reason for some subjects being called BTECs and others CTechs is simply the different exam boards; BTECs are taken with Pearson, Cambridge Technicals with OCR. 

What CTechs and BTECs do you offer? 

College offers CTechs in Business, Sport and Physical Activity and Information Technology and a BTEC in Applied Psychology.  

What are the benefits of a CTech or BTEC? 

CTechs and BTECs are assessed via both coursework and exams, with the coursework element carrying around 60-70% of the final mark, so they suit those who might find 100% exam qualifications challenging.  

CTech and BTEC modular assessments can be retaken at a later date to improve the grade a student achieves. 

CTechs and BTECs have no official GCSE grade requirements. 

Courses tend to be finished by the Spring Term, enabling students to focus on Upper Sixth summer exams in other subjects.  

Students who take CTechs and BTECs will often achieve higher grades (or UCAS points) than if they were to take the equivalent A Level subject.  

Why should my child do a CTech or BTEC and not an A Level? 

If your child has done particularly well in a coursework GCSE subject or finds subjects based entirely on exams challenging, they may be suited to the coursework and modular assessment format of BTECs and CTechs. Also, if your child isn’t expected to achieve the required GCSE grades to access the A Level courses, they may wish to consider a BTEC or CTech.  

It is worth noting that the modular assessment and coursework element of BTECs and CTechs do require motivation and organisation as there are numerous submission deadlines throughout the course.  

How are BTECs and CTechs assessed? 

These qualifications are assessed through both coursework elements, completed throughout Upper College and with advice and support from teachers, and by external exams.  Many pupils find this consistent and supported method of assessment better suits their style of working than traditional A Levels which are more reliant on a final exam after two years. 

Do they have exams? 

Yes, this is a recent change and now all BTECs and CTechs include exams. The weighting of these exams is smaller in the overall qualification due to a significant amount of coursework that pupils complete.  The exams also differ from A Levels in that they are modular, meaning that they can be sat at different points in the course and retaken for a better result if required; at College, for example, many pupils take at least one module in January of Lower Sixth, with a resit opportunity in June. 

Who teaches these qualifications? 

Pupils are taught by the same members of staff who teach A Levels and GCSEs if offered by their departments, offering the same level of superb subject knowledge and understanding of the course they deliver. 

How many CTechs or BTECs should you do? 

At the time of writing, there are over 160 universities in the UK. For some of the top universities that accept vocational qualifications, there is a preference for applicants to have only one CTech or BTEC qualification alongside two A Levels. For the majority of higher education institutions in the UK, however, a student will be considered with any combination of A levels, CTechs or BTECs.
 

Can you apply to Russell Group universities with a CTech or BTEC? 

At the time of writing, you can apply to Russell Group universities with a CTech or BTEC, although some will require an applicant to have two A Level qualifications alongside it. Although the higher education landscape is constantly changing, last year College students taking CTechs (College only offered BTECs from Sept 2022) received offers from Cardiff University, University of Exeter, Newcastle University, University of Liverpool and University of Leeds. Our advice is always to check with individual institutions about their entry requirements.  

Do all UK Universities accept CTechs and BTECs? 

Some top tier UK institutions, Imperial College London for example, do not accept vocational qualifications as they are not deemed academically rigorous enough. Others, such as Oxford, Cambridge, and the London School of Economics, place tight requirements on combining vocational qualifications with A Levels.  Most other universities in the UK do accept at least one BTEC or CTech, although our advice is always to check with individual institutions about their entry requirements.

For some courses, the content of the BTEC and CTech qualification does not cover what is required for some university admissions, so for example, Applied Psychology BTEC does not contain sufficient science content to apply for BSc (Hons) Psychology at the University of Bristol, whereas the A Level in Psychology does. Again, our advice is to check with individual institutions.  

Please be aware that most European universities (and some US and Australian universities) will not accept vocational courses such as BTECs and CTechs. Pupils are asked to check with individual international universities to understand their entry requirements.  

How many UCAS points is a CTech or BTEC worth? 

Some universities require grades for entry (from A Levels for example), and some universities require UCAS points which can be accrued from sixth form studies, EPQ, dance, drama and music exams etc.  

CTechs and BTECs carry UCAS points in the same way that A Levels do.  

Distinction* (the highest grade that can be achieved with these qualifications) gives pupils 56 UCAS points.

Distinction gives pupils 48 UCAS points.

Merit gives pupils 32 UCAS points.

Pass gives pupils 16 UCAS points.

It is worth noting, that when calculating grade equivalents, some universities equate the Distinction to a B grade. So, for example, if a university requires BBB, they may make an offer of Distinction, B, B, even though the points equivalent equates it to an A grade. As before, our advice is always to check with individual institutions about their entry requirements.