For many businesses, August is a quiet time. It’s definitely not so for universities. A frenzy of activity leading up to A-level results day is building, now that clearing is of increasing importance to university balance sheets. But A-level students aren’t the only pool to recruit from; there are growing numbers of potential applicants holding BTec qualifications.
According to the Social Market Foundation, the number of students with Btec qualifications entering university was 50,000 in 2008, but now stands at 100,000. That’s one in four of all students going to university. It is a significant applicant pool that merits special attention.
The SMF research shows that BTecs are popular among young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in particular. The combination of a BTec and a degree also offers a sizeable wage premium. Their recruitment will help universities looking to widen participation and improve graduate outcomes.
One of the concerns for many universities taking on students with BTecs is how they will manage the transition to university. But this is overstated – it can be hard for all students, irrespective of qualification route and background. Lectures, the responsibilities of independent study and the predominance of seminars will be new for everyone. That said, BTec students are likley to have had a different classroom experience to A-level students, so universities can’t offer a “one size only” approach to teaching and learning support.
Since the introduction of the new BTecs in 2016, there is less reliance on practical coursework. But students familiar with the BTec style of learning will nonetheless appreciate reassurance that they won’t be left behind by their A-level peers when it comes to essay writing and exam technique. Writing academic English will probably come more naturally to A-level students, but this does not mean that BTec students will inevitably fall behind.
The BTec curriculum is considerably freer and more flexible than the tight syllabus and marking schemes of A-levels. In the University of Bedfordshire’s experience, BTec students show great strength in idea generation, independent learning and creativity, in ways that are atypical among A-level students.
These students can flourish in the practical and independent learning environment that their BTec course offers. So universities should think about how they can build more of this type of learning into their courses and assessments.
Our approach has been to embed practical assignments, small group working and live briefs from external clients into the curriculum. These are complemented by the traditional elements of university education – lectures, essays and exams.
With a mixed teaching and learning programme, student support services must prioritise identifying students’ needs and finding breadth in the range of support they offer them, from help with essay writing to practical skills development. It is less about drawing a dividing line between the differing needs of BTec and A-level students, and more about building flexibility into the system and being open to new ideas that can benefit both groups.
The best starting point is to consider what it is that students want from university. There is going to be little difference between the answers of BTec and A-level students: it’s about engaging with their subject and getting a good job at the end. So long as universities can protect these two outcomes for students, it doesn’t really matter which qualification route they come from.
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