BTecs: What are they and how are they graded?published at 07:14 British Summer Time
07:14 BST
Vanessa Clarke
Education reporter
It’s not just all about A-levels today, as thousands of students will also be receiving results for their BTecs.
A BTec, which stands for the Business and Technology Education Council, is a practical qualification. Courses are assessed through exams, regular coursework and projects, and sometimes placements.
BTec Firsts are Level 2 qualifications, meaning they are equivalent to GCSEs. Students often take a mixture of the two. They can be helpful for people trying to get into further education colleges.
BTec Nationals are Level 3 qualifications, so can be taken alongside or instead of A-levels.
They are studied over one or two years.
Health and social care and applied science are among the most popular BTecs. Other subjects include construction, electrical engineering and art and design.
Research suggests, external one in four students use them as a route into university, while others gain occupation-specific skills and go straight into employment. BTecs are graded on a scale:
- Starred Distinction/Distinction Star (D*)
- Distinction (D)
- Merit (M)
- Pass (P)
Some BTecs are worth two or three A-levels.