Diplomas - the major opportunity

Schools and colleges had to pass through an application process in order to be given the go-ahead.   

Around half of all universities will be working with schools to teach Diplomas from 2009, and all the partnerships have to demonstrate good links with employers.

The successful partnerships will be offered a tailored package of support including £27million of additional funding and a programme of professional development for those teaching the new qualification.
Details of the successful consortia can be found at http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19 .

Background:

• The 14-19 reforms are designed to encourage more young people to continue learning for longer and gain the qualifications they need to progress into further and higher education or employment.

• Central to the reforms is the new Diploma, a new qualification for 14 – 19 year olds in England that combines theoretical and practical learning. By 2011 it will be available in 17 subject areas.

• Five Diploma subjects will be taught from this September in Construction and the Built; Environment; Creative and Media; Engineering; Information Technology; and Society, Health and Development. In 2009, these will be joined by a further five disciplines: Business, Administration and Finance; Environmental and Land-based Studies; Hair and Beauty Studies; Hospitality; and Manufacturing and Product Design. Five consortia have been approved to deliver all 10 Diploma lines: Barnsley, Kingswood, Plymouth, Sunderland and Wolverhampton.

• The Diploma will contain three Functional Skills qualifications. This will ensure that young people secure the right foundation of English, Maths and IT skills needed for progression into employment.

• The application process for Diploma delivery is known as the Gateway. Results from Gateway 1 were announced in April 2007. The 144 consortia approved through Gateway 1 are preparing to teach the first five Diplomas from September 2008.

• This Gateway announcement means that we will also know which schools and colleges will go forward to offer the first ten Diplomas in September 2009.

There are three levels of Diploma - Foundation, Higher and Advanced. A Foundation Diploma is worth five GCSEs grades D to G; a Higher Diploma is worth seven GCSEs grades A* to C; and an Advanced Diploma is worth three-and-a-half A levels.

The secretary of state recently announced a new Extended Diploma, which could be worth four-and-a-half A levels. This has been designed to recognise larger programmes of learning.