Connell Sixth Form

College

BTEC Level
3 Business
Student
Handbook
BTEC Student Handbook

Contents.
BTEC Level 3
3
Staff Roles and Responsibilities
4
Units Studied

The Assignment Brief and Assessment

Grading and Levels

7
Assessment and Submission Policy

Assessment Malpractice

Students Appeals Process

10
Equal Opportunities
11
Bullying
11
Health & Safety
11/12
UCAS Tariff Points
13

BTEC Student Handbook

BTEC Level 3
What is a BTEC Qualification?
BTEC qualifications are suitable for a wide range of students. They encourage and
recognise achievement in students, some of whom may not be getting the most out
of study that is only assessed through examinations.
The course also helps to develop skills that you will need for your future study or
employment. These include:

Independent learning
Creative thinking
Reflective learning
Team working
Time-management
Self-management
Effective participation

Each BTEC is made up of a number of units. The number of units depends on the
size of the BTEC studied.
Some units are mandatory and some are optional.
Certificate
Subsidiary Diploma
90-Credit Diploma
Diploma
Extended Diploma

30 credits
60 credits
90 credits
120 credits
180 credits

BTEC Student Handbook

1 AS level
1 GCE A level
1.5 GCE A level
2 GCE A levels
3 GCE A levels

BLOCK B
BLOCK C
BLOCK E
Certificate
90Randhawa
Credit Diploma
Quality in
NomineeSubsidiary Diploma
Kulvinder
Business
in Business
(=3AS)
30 Credits (=1AS)
60 Credits
Kate Walmsley
Exams Manager responsibility
Richard
(=2AS=1A-level) Patrick McNulty
for registration and certification
Charlesworth
Hamid Hanif
Unit 2 (10C)
Unit 36 (10C)
Unit 1 (10C)
Programme
Leader Applied
Business
Resources
General: Starting a Nikki Manley
The Business
Science
(Forensic
Science)/Deputy
LIV
Mandatory
Small Business
Environment
Mandatory
Lead IV - Applied Science
(Forensic Science)

Clare Lenge

Unit 9 (10C)
Unit 15 (10C)
Unit 4 (10C)
Teacher/IV/Assessor
Khay
Hunter
Marketing: Creative
Human Resources:
Business
Product Promotion
Development Planning
Communication
for a career in business
Mandatory
Programme Leader
Kate Walmsley

Business/Deputy LIV

UnitLead
13 (10C)
IV Business
Richard Charlesworth
Human Resources:
Unit 12 (10C)
Recruitment and
Marketing: Internet
Unit 3 (10C)
Teacher/IV/Assessor
Hamed
Hanif
Selection
Marketing in Business
Introduction
to
Marketing Mandatory
Programme Leader Sports and
Exercise Science/Deputy LIV

Gavin Earnshaw

Lead IV - Sports and Exercise

Science

Rebecca Clark

Teacher/IV/Assessor

Joshua Cammiss

Staff Roles and Responsibilities

The Units studied in BTEC Business

BTEC Student Handbook

The Assignment Brief and Assessment

Assessment has two purposes:

To provide you with regular feedback about how your work is progressing
To measure and record your achievement of units towards your qualification

You should regard all your assessment marks as provisional until the assessment
board has agreed your results. Your work will have to be moderated by an external
assessor from the board.
Assignment briefs.
Your assessment is carried out through various types of assignment.
You will be issued with the assessment criteria at the start of each unit so you can
reflect on the criteria during teaching and learning in the unit. The assessment
criteria are your reference points for assessment throughout the units so you should
always be referring to them, especially when writing your assignments.
Each assessment brief will tell you:

The assignment number and title

Which unit the assignment relates to
What the assignment is about
What tasks you have to complete
A relevant scenario which informs you how to set out the assignment
The grading criteria and learning outcomes the assessment will help you
produce evidence for
Suggestions and ideas on how to achieve the grading criteria
Hand in date
Your teachers name

If you have any questions about the requirements of an assignment, you should ask
your teacher well before the deadline.
Submitted work.

BTEC Student Handbook

Always check your assignment brief to ensure that you have completed all the
necessary tasks. Work should be word processed unless otherwise stated in your
assignment brief. You should always keep an electronic copy of each completed
assignment for your reference.
All assignments that have been graded will be placed in the relevant folder and kept
in College for moderation purposes.
All work within the assignments must be your own work. It must not be copied from
another student, nor copied and pasted from articles on the internet, unless you
appropriately reference the material. If you do copy work, this is regarded as
malpractice. More details on malpractice can be found on page 7.
Deadlines.
Assessments must be handed in by the pre-set deadline. Approval for late
submission is at the discretion of your teacher, and will only be approved for
genuine reasons. If an assignment is handed in late you will not have the
opportunity for resubmission.
Marking and Moderation.
All your assignments will be marked by your teacher in relation to the set criteria
and you will be awarded a Pass, Merit or Distinction for the assessment criteria.
The assessment process is then subject to internal verification from a second
marker from within the College. External moderators will then mark samples of the
work to ensure that marking is consistent and reflects the appropriate standards of
achievement.
If you are not satisfied with the result, you will have the opportunity to appeal to
your teacher. The appeals process is outlined on page 7.
The board will also check the grading of randomly selected assignments, alongside
the general operation of the assessment process.

Grading and Levels.

For each assignment you will be awarded a Pass, Merit or Distinction. To achieve
a Pass for a unit of work you must achieve all the pass criteria within that unit. To
achieve a Merit for a unit of work you must achieve all the merit criteria within
that unit. To achieve a Distinction for a unit of work you must achieve all the
distinction criteria within that unit.
Your points for each unit will be calculated by multiplying the credit awarded to the
unit with the grade you achieve. Your overall qualification grade totals will then be
calculated. Two examples are shown below:
BTEC Student Handbook

Achievement of a merit qualification (30 credit Level 3 Certificate):

Unit

Level

Credit

Grade

Grade
points

Unit 1
Unit 2

3
3

10
10

Pass
Merit

7
8

Points per
unit =
credit x
grade
70
80

Unit 3

10

Merit

80

Qualification Grade Totals

30
Merit
230
Achievement of a distinction qualification (60 credit Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma):
Unit

Level

Credit

Grade

Grade
points

Unit 1
Unit 2

3
3

10
10

8
9

Unit 3

10

90

Unit 4
Unit 9

3
3

10
10

8
7

80
70

Unit 36
Qualification Grade Totals

10
60

Merit
Distincti
on
Distincti
on
Merit
Distincti
on
Merit
Distinct
ion

Points per
unit =
credit x
grade
80
90

90
500

There a number of important policies that exists to help all BTEC courses to
run successfully. The most important ones have been written for the college
specifically and there are some produced by Edexcel who manage BTECs
across the UK.
It is important that you read the policies and that you ask your teachers and
if there is anything you do not understand.

Assessment and Submission Policy

BTEC have introduced new rules for the assessment and submission of evidence
from 1st September 2014. It is very important that you understand and comply with
the new rules as failure to do so can lead to you failing the whole qualification. The
new rules are listed below.
1. Once a student is ready to take an assessment, they must work
independently.

BTEC Student Handbook

2. Each student is allowed one submission of their evidence for each

assessment.
3. The lead verifier may authorise one opportunity to resubmit evidence for
each assignment if:
The student has met the initial deadline.
The teacher judges the student will be able to provide improved
evidence without further specific guidance.
The assessor has confirmed that the evidence originally submitted
was authentically the students own work.
The new rules have introduced a 10 working day time limit for
resubmissions.
4. Only in exceptional circumstances, if a student has met all the previous
conditions, but has still not achieved all the targeted pass criteria, they may
be offered the opportunity to retake the assessment.
The last rule has been introduced because a student must achieve all of the
pass criteria in every unit to pass the whole qualification.
For a retake:

the assessor cannot award a merit or distinction grade for a retake

the student will not be allowed any further resubmissions or retakes.

I have read and understood the new rules for the assessment and submission of
evidence for my BTEC studies.

Signed
.

I agree to abide by the new rules for assessment and submission of evidence and
understand that failure to comply could lead to me failing the whole qualification.

Signed
.

Assessment Malpractice Policy

BTEC Student Handbook

All assessments must be completed by you. To copy someone elses work is

plagiarism and will not be accepted as any part of your assessment.
Any work you download and use in your assignment must be referenced to
acknowledge the author.
On completion of each assignment you will sign a cover sheet which declares all
work submitted is your own work.
Malpractice includes:

Copying some or all of another persons written work with or without their
consent
Getting someone else to help you complete the assignment
Deliberate failure to reference the work properly

Procedure in dealing with plagiarism and malpractice:

Stage 1.

The Programme Leader and your tutor is informed of the malpractice.

You will be given the opportunity to remove the plagiarised material from the
assignment and produce your own work.

Stage 2.

If you fail to remove plagiarised material the issue will be referred to the
Quality Nominee and an Assistant Principal. Failure to resolve the issue
following the meeting with the Quality Nominee and the Assistant Principal
will lead to escalation to stage 3.

Stage 3.

Parents/carers will be contacted and a meeting will be arranged between you,

your parents/carers, your teacher and the Assistant Principal to discuss the
situation. Failure to resolve the issue will lead to escalation to stage 4.

Stage 4.

Referral to the Principal. The Principal will consult with all parties involved
before making a final decision on the issue

You will only be assessed and graded for the assignment if your teacher is
totally convinced that the work produced is your own.

BTEC Student Handbook

Students Appeals Process

If you are unhappy with an assessment decision you should first speak to your
teacher. Your teacher will give you a more detailed explanation of your result and
where your work could have been improved.
If you still feel your work has been unfairly assessed you need to follow the
procedure outlined below:
Stage 1.
1. Inform your teacher, in writing, that you are unhappy with your assessment
decision. You must state the Unit number and the assessment title.
2. Your teacher will reply, within 5 days, having re-checked the work, and
provide a written explanation of the decision.
3. If you agree with your teacher, the appeal ends at this stage
Stage 2.
1. If you are not satisfied with the decision, your teacher must speak to the Lead
Internal Verifier for Applied Science within 5 days.
2. The Lead IV will examine the assessment evidence and assessment feedback
from your teacher.
3. The Lead IV will provide written feedback within 10 days and forward a copy
to you and your teacher.
4. If you agree with the Lead IV, the appeal ends at this stage.
Stage 3.
1. If you are still not satisfied with the decision, an appeals panel will meet
within 10 days to look at the assignment brief and the work.
2. The panel will consist of your teacher, the lead IV and the Assistant
Principal/Quality Nominee.
3. The decision of the panel will be final and will be logged in writing. You will be
informed within 5 days.
Stage 4.
1. If you disagree with the decision made by the Appeals Panel, you may refer
your work to the Examination Board (Edexcel). The College Examinations
Manager will give you the appropriate paperwork and contact details.

Equal Opportunities

BTEC Student Handbook

10

No student should have to put up with racial or sexual harassment. If you are
aware of harassment either directed at yourself or another student, you should
report this immediately to a member of staff.

Bullying
No student should have to put up with verbal, physical or cyber bullying. If you
are aware of bullying either directed at yourself or another student, you should
report this immediately to a member of staff.

Safety Rules for the Science Laboratories

1. Do not enter the laboratory unless a tutor is present.
2. Bags and coats must be stored under the benches during practical sessions.
3. All written instructions and verbal instructions from your tutor must be followed
exactly at all times.
4. Spare stools must be kept under benches to allow for easy movement around the
laboratory.
5. Move around the lab with care and NEVER RUN. This also applies to the corridors
and stairs.
6. Treat all apparatus with care and report any breakages or spillages immediately
to a member of staff. Your tutor will give instructions on how to clear up safely.
7. Broken glass must be disposed of in the glass bins only. No other material must
be placed in these bins.
8. You must familiarise yourself with the fire procedures and the location of the
nearest fire exit.
9. No eating or drinking is allowed in the lab during practical sessions. Only water
bottles with a drinking spout will be allowed in the lab during theory lessons. No
food or open cups must be brought in at any time.
10. Never perform any unauthorised experiments.
11. Remain quiet at all times during practical sessions and always stop what you
are doing IMMEDIATELY when asked to do so as this may prevent an accident
happening.
12. Should an accident happen, however minor, report it immediately to a member
of staff.
BTEC Student Handbook

11

13. Leave the laboratories clean and tidy and dispose of waste materials according
to instructions given. Replace equipment taking care to leave equipment trays tidy.

I have read and agree to abide by the safety rules as outlined above.

Sign.

BTEC Student Handbook

12

UCAS
TARIFF
POINTS
420

EXTENDED
DIPLOMA

400

D* D*D

380

D*DD

360

DDD

320

DDM

280

DMM

240

MMM

MMP

D*D
DD

MPP

DM
D*

140
120
100

PPP

MM

MP

80

M
D*

70
60

CERTIFICAT
E

D* D*

180
160

SUBSIDIARY
DIPLOMA

D* D* D*

210
200

90-CREDIT
DIPLOMA

PP

40

D
P

20

M
P

BTEC LEVEL 3 UCAS TARIFF POINTS

BTEC Student Handbook

13

BTEC & A Level Equivalents

Extended Diploma
D*D*D*
D*D*D
D*DD
DDD

Tariff Points
420
400
380
360

A Level Equivalent
A*A*A*
A*A*A
A*AA
AAA

DDM

320

ABB

DMM

280

BBC

MMM

240

CCC

MMP

200

CDD

MPP

160

DDE

PPP

120

EEE

Enjoy your BTEC Level 3 Course and if you

have any questions, speak to your teacher.

BTEC Student Handbook

14