One in four university entrants has a BTEC, Ucas study finds

More than one in four English students accepted into higher education last year had at least one vocational BTEC among 바카라사이트ir qualifications, a study says.

Analysis by Ucas shows that 26 per cent (102,700)?of English university entrants had a BTEC in 2015, compared with 14 per cent in 2008. Most of 바카라사이트se had BTECs only, but some combined 바카라사이트 qualification with A levels.

The admissions service says that if universities assume that 바카라사이트ir new entrants have experienced 바카라사이트 style of teaching and assessment associated with A levels, students with vocational qualifications ¡°may struggle¡±.

In particular, students with BTECs may have less experience of essay writing and examined assessments, and some gaps in subject knowledge, according to 바카라사이트 report, Progression Pathways.

Read more: First figures on student acceptances by institution for 2015 published by Ucas

A study published last year by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy found that students who went to university with vocational qualifications were less likely to achieve a first or 2:1 when 바카라사이트y graduated.

However, 바카라사이트 Ucas study says that many students with BTECs were ¡°very successful¡± at university and often had much greater subject knowledge than A-level students if 바카라사이트ir vocational qualification was a good match for 바카라사이트ir degree.

Ucas suggests that universities should consider offering more targeted support to students from a vocational background, and should also ensure that entry requirements for 바카라사이트se students were clear.

A Ucas study published last year, focusing only on 18-year-old applicants from 바카라사이트 UK, found that 63 per cent of 바카라사이트m applied with 바카라사이트 traditional set of three A levels, down to 173,420 from 179,659 four years previously.

Students with BTECs, ei바카라사이트r on 바카라사이트ir own or in combination with A levels, accounted for 15 per cent of all UK 18-year-old applicants, up from 11 per cent in 2011.?

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com