Business and Technology Education Council

The Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) is a provider of secondary school leaving qualifications and further education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Whilst the T in BTEC previously stood for Technical, according to the DFE (2016) it now stands for Technology.[1] BTECs originated in 1984 and were awarded by Edexcel from 1996.[2] Their origins lie in the Business Education Council, formed in 1974 to "rationalise and improve the relevance of sub-degree vocational education".[3] They are the responsibility of the Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education in the Department for Education.

Not to be confused with Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech).

BTEC qualifications, especially Level 3, are accepted by all UK universities (in many instances combined with other qualifications such as A Levels) when assessing the suitability of applicants for admission, and many such universities base their conditional admissions offers on a student's predicted BTEC grades.

A report by the Social Market Foundation in January 2018 found that more than a quarter (26%) of university applicants in England entered HE with at least one BTEC qualification.[4] The research found that BTECs provide a particularly significant route to higher education for specific groups, with almost half students entering university with a BTEC, alongside large numbers of students in specific regions, including the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, North East and West Midlands.[4] This followed a separate report published by HEPI in 2017 on BTECs and higher education.[2]

Qualification subjects

Examples of qualifications include:

  • Animal Management
  • Applied Law
  • Applied Science
  • Applied Psychology
  • Art & Design
  • Business
  • Computing
  • Children's Care and Learning
  • Creative Digital Media Production
  • Early Years & Education
  • Engineering
  • Finance
  • Hair & Beauty
  • Hospitality
  • Health & Social Care
  • Music / Music Technology
  • Performing Arts
  • Public Services
  • Sports Science
  • Travel & Tourism

History

The BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma dates back to the 1930s as a full-time three-year course. After the Haselgrave Report, the Business Education Council (BEC) and Technician Education Council (TEC) took over the accrediting of this qualification (called the "Ordinary National Diploma") and others in the stable, such as the National Certificate, Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma. The portfolio of courses was integrated when the BEC and TEC merged to form BTEC.[5]

The BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) was formed by the merger of the Business Education Council (BEC) and the Technical Education Council (TEC). The University of London Examinations & Assessment Council (ULEAC) and BTEC merged to form Edexcel.[6][5]

Awards and course system

School leaving qualification (Level 3)

The following Level 3 courses, known as BTEC National Diplomas, are intended for those with five or more GCSE grades A*-C including English, mathematics and science. The qualification names for Level 3 courses changed dependent on whether they were awarded through the forthcoming National Qualification Framework (NQF) or the predecessor Qualification Credit Framework (QCF):

RQF (2016)QCF (2010)A level size equivalenceGrading
BTEC Level 3 Extended DiplomaBTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma3 x A levelsPPP to D*D*D*
BTEC Level 3 DiplomaBTEC Level 3 Diploma2 x A levelsPP to D*D*
BTEC Level 3 Foundation DiplomaBTEC Level 3 90-Credit Diploma1.5 x A levelsPass to Distinction*
BTEC Level 3 Extended CertificateBTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma1 x A levelPass to Distinction*
BTEC Level 3 CertificateBTEC Level 3 Certificate0.5 x A levelPass to Distinction*

School leaving qualification (Level 2)

The following Level 2 courses, known as BTEC Firsts, are intended for students at GCSE level as a vocational equivalent. There are no BTEC courses for English, or mathematics. Students who do not achieve the minimum Level 2 Pass grade will receive a Level 1 Pass in the given qualification equivalent to GCSE grades D-E and therefore does not count to the A*-C measurement system. The qualification names for Level 2 courses changed dependent on whether they were awarded though the current National Qualification Framework (NQF) or the predecessor Qualification Credit Framework (QCF):

NQF (2012)QCF (2010)GCSE size equivalenceGrading
BTEC Level 2 DiplomaNo equivalent4 x GCSEsPPP to D*D*D*
BTEC Level 2 Extended CertificateBTEC Level 2 Diploma3 x GCSEsPPP to D*D*D*
BTEC Level 2 CertificateBTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate2 x GCSEsPP to D*D*
BTEC Level 2 AwardBTEC Level 2 Certificate1 x GCSEPass to Distinction*

See also

References
  1. "Abbreviations and their meanings". Archived from the original on 2012-09-08.
  2. Kelly, Scott. "HEPI report: Reforming BTECs: Applied General qualifications as a route to higher education" (PDF). p. 8.
  3. "Our history | Pearson qualifications". qualifications.pearson.com. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
  4. "Vocation, Vocation, Vocation". Social Market Foundation. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
  5. "Our history". Edexcel. Pearson Education. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  6. "Our history". Edexcel. Pearson Education. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
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