Teachers
Watch videos, listen to audio and download useful leaflets about the Diploma.
The Diploma is a new qualification for 14-19 year olds. It’s set to become one of the three main learning choices alongside GCSEs / A levels and Apprenticeships, and provides a recognised and respected route into further and higher education or direct employment.
The Diploma offers a mix of theoretical and practical learning, so it will appeal to a broad spectrum of students with differing abilities and aspirations. They will all benefit from a course that enables them to develop a range of hands on and intellectual skills, in a broad work-related subject context.
Our Teacher Pages are designed to give you essential information about Diplomas, and also direct you to other helpful resources. There’s a leaflet you can download, and links to other useful sites. And if you have a question that we haven’t answered here, you can always contact us too.
Diploma facts
What’s important is that doing a Diploma won’t limit any future options for any student. With this qualification, they could stay at school, go on to college, do a degree at university, start a career or an Apprenticeship.
Training will be given to teachers delivering the Diploma. This will cover the generic skills required to teach the Diploma, plus each individual Diploma, to be able to focus on detailed subject matter. There will also be specific training for the teaching of functional skills in English, maths and ICT. A range of supporting materials will be made available online too, as well as local and regional networks to share effective practice.
What are Diplomas worth?
A Foundation Diploma is the same as 5 GCSEs at grades D - G
The Higher Diploma is the same as 7 GCSEs at grades A* - C
The Advanced Diploma is the same as 3.5 A levels
A Progression Diploma is also available, equivalent to 2.5 A levels
An Extended Diploma will be available in 2011, containing extra maths, English and Additional and Specialist Learning
When do they start?
The first schools and colleges are teaching 5 Diploma courses now.
5 more subjects will be added for September 2009:
Another 4 will start from September 2010:
And 3 more will start from September 2011:
In 2011, the Extended Diploma will also be on offer. This contains extra maths, English and ICT plus extra Additional and Specialist Learning.
What’s different?
Designed in partnership with colleges, schools, higher education and employers, the Diploma involves practical, hands-on experience as well as classroom learning - a combination aimed at encouraging students to develop work-relevant skills, their abilities in English, maths and ICT and to continue learning for longer.
It will appeal to students who like practical subjects and problem solving, as well as applying what they learn to real situations. It’s flexible, so students can get a deeper knowledge of subjects that they are particularly interested in and broaden their study – perhaps including a language, science or more creative options like music and art.
Students will be based in their own school or college, but may get the opportunity to learn in a different setting like another school, a local college, or in the workplace. They’ll get an insight into what work is really like, helping them make decisions about the future while keeping their career options open.
The Diploma does not replace GCSEs or A levels. It’s flexible, so students can combine it with GCSEs and A levels. Young people studying for Diplomas will do so along with compulsory subjects like English, maths, science and PE in Years 10 and 11. So, at Key Stage 4, students will take GCSEs alongside the Diploma course, and post-16 they could take additional A levels as well.
The benefits
The Diploma combines elements of academic subjects and practical skills in a way that reflects modern industry practice and the demands of degree courses. They will give students a good understanding of a group of closely related disciplines while enabling them to develop the knowledge, understanding and transferable skills they need to go on to employment, college or university.
Because it’s based around broad subject areas, the Diploma includes project-based learning - giving students the opportunity to choose Additional and Specialist Learning options that reflect their abilities, interests, career ambitions and learning styles.
Useful links
Visit the TeacherNet website for more information.
For more support, resources and tools, including bespoke training and Diploma workshops, visit the Diploma support programme website.
You can also download the Diplomas Guide for Teachers which gives you more information on the course and elements involved.
The new 14-19 Curriculum is available via the Directgov website, and you can find more info on the structure of Diploma courses from the QCA.
The three Diploma Awarding Body websites are Edexcel, AQA/Cityand Guilds and OCR.
Know someone who might find this page interesting? Why not send them a copy.
Visit these websites for more useful information on options.
