25/08/2009 by Tony Attwood.

Research, published by the National Foundation for Educational Research, has found that all universities questioned would welcome applications from the first Diploma cohort in 2010.

The NFER report also found that:

• Russell Group universities (20 major research-intensive universities) are strongly supportive of the breadth of learning and range of skills that Diploma students develop.

• University Vice Chancellors are confident that Diplomas will deliver the qualities they want in undergraduate students: flexible, independent working and experience of a work placement.

• Universities are enthusiastic about the Extended Project – a crucial component of the Diploma – and felt it developed the learning skills universities look for: critical thinking; analysis; and research skills.

• Universities welcome the opportunity to widen participation to higher education, commenting that Diplomas will bring new types of student and new styles of learning into higher education

The next group of diplomas are being launched this September…

Manufacturing and Product Design; Business, Administration and Finance; Hair and Beauty; Environmental and Land-based studies; and Hospitality.  They combine theoretical learning with knowledge of industry and practical ‘hands-on’ experience.

So far, provisional figures show that three times as many students as last year have applied to study for a Diploma starting in September.

Background…

1. The national evaluation of Diplomas is being carried out by a team from NFER and University of Exeter. The evaluation is a large-scale and multi-strand project that spans a 6 year period. It is looking at how diplomas are being implemented, the views of key people over time including parents, teachers, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and employers; as well as how Diplomas impact on key Government targets e.g. on participation post-16 and attainment.

2. This report is based on one element of the data collection – a survey of 19 HEIs. Respondents were senior managers (e.g. Pro-Vice Chancellors) from each institution and 62 admissions tutors across the HEIs involved in the study. The survey was undertaken in late 2008 and the findings are therefore based on the first five Diploma lines of learning.

3. The full report can be found at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/programmeofresearch/index.cfm?type=5&x=35&y=6

4. The Universities UK report can be found at http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/Publications/Pages/ImpactOfCurriculumReforms.aspx

5.  DCSF intro to diplomas

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/index.cfm?sid=3&pid=224&ctype=None&ptype=Contents

This information first appeared in Education Marketing news - to receive a daily free bulletin on educational matters for those selling into schools send an email to Education-marketing-subscribe@yahoogroups.com 

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19/08/2009 by Tony Attwood.

Forthcoming events in education

This week

Schools in Scotland have now returned

Careers teachers and heads of sixth form are now back in schools in rest of the UK, ready for A level and GCSE results - and the resultant placing of students. 

We have some availability for emailing them this week and next week.  Emails can be sent to the subscribers to our Careers/Sixth form news service.  Full details on http://www.emails.gs/emailteachersdirect.html

Next week

August 26 - bookings for shared mailings for next week are now closed

September

September 1 - most senior staff return to school for the new term.  For emails that reach the teacher direct (i.e. not via the administrator) we only send out one email a week per teacher (in order to keep up response rates).  We have some spaces left in all subjects for September, but PSHE, Science, English, History and Heads/Deputies have only a limited number of spaces left for emails direct to the teachers in September.

September 1 - Primary school shared mailing - some places available

September 2 - Secondary shared mailing, only one or two places still left

September 3 (approx) England, Wales, N Ireland schools return

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17/08/2009 by Tony Attwood.

In the run up to the end of the summer term my colleagues in First and Best, the publishing company owned by Hamilton House undertook an experiment.They produced a series of email adverts that went out during the last week of term - the time when traditionally we would say, “don’t try and advertise”.   They used the personal and subscription email lists to promote just one book in each email.

So there was no recourse to a catalogue, or a complex set of choices on a web site - it was “here’s one book - here’s how you order”.

The results have not been fully compiled as yet, but they look very encouraging, and it is clear that the promotions were profitable, taking into account the normal commercial charge for the adverts.

We don’t know if the same thing is going to apply in August when the Scottish schools go back, or September when the rest of the UK schools return, but it is a possibility.

Certainly for the moment it is looking as if it is possible to advertise up to the end of term using the premium email lists - and it might be possible to do the same at the start of term.   If so, that will take the number of days on which it is possible to sell to schools up from around 165 days (33 weeks a year) to 200 days (40 weeks a year) - which could be quite a bonus.

If you are interested in the various email lists we have available please take a look at www.emails.gs or call 01536 399 000.  If you would like to talk further about the way the adverts were constructed, do call me, or drop me an email.

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07/08/2009 by Tony Attwood.

Scottish schools are about to return to teaching - which means it is possible to start marketing to schools without waiting for the rest of the UK to return to teaching in September.

Hamilton House offers mailing lists of 413 secondaries and 2200 primaries for 5p an address (once only use) and 15p (12 month license), plus VAT - which can be downloaded directly from our site.  We also offer email lists of teachers at their own personal email address, and email lists of the general addresses of schools in Scotland.

To order mailing lists on line click here   or call 01536 399 000.

To order email lists please call 01536 399 000.

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