Case study
Local authority:
10 after 2 in Barnsley
Barnsley has moved from delivering two Diplomas last year to all 10 in year two. Dorothy Lepkowska reports
OLLABORATION AND and engaging young people. “We believe that But was it diffi cult to encourage students to
C
co-operation between schools promoting progress into further education consider Diplomas as a more viable option to
and colleges is nothing new in and training or employment helps to raise BTECs and academic qualifi cations?
Barnsley, and was instigated long aspirations,” Ms Fisher added. “We have a scheme called ‘Ambition
before Diplomas came along. Currently about 35 per cent of Barnsley’s Barnsley’, which is organised for diff erent
“Historically, we have had advanced key stage 4 cohort of 2,500 students are year groups and which attempts to raise
collaborative partnerships between schools engaged in some form of collaboratively- aspirations,” Ms Fisher said. “So, for example,
D
Delivering and colleges going back to 2001, when we delivered, vocational education. with year 9s, we organised a Diploma
iplomas
fi rst applied to the European Social Fund Two Diplomas were introduced roadshow and a company of actors went to
to develop vocational and collaborative last September, in Society, Health and school and did a production about gender
provision,” said Jane Fisher, 14 to 19 senior Development, and Construction and the stereotyping and raising aspirations to
consultant with Barnsley local authority. Built Environment, but all 10 lines of learning encourage, for instance, girls to consider going
“Ever since then we have had a situation will be available from 2009. into construction and engineering.
where learners go to local colleges and schools T_h e Barnsley consortium for Diploma “T_h ere were also taster sessions and
to access vocational qualifi cations. Over delivery consists of two further education workshops with activities from within the
the years, these collaborations have become colleges and six secondary schools, though diff erent areas of Diplomas.”
embedded in the culture of education in the pupils from all 14 secondaries in the borough Ms Fisher said that it was important
town and brought in new partners. can access the qualifi cations. Also, there are to provide young people with the right
information: “Our curriculum model was
slightly diff erent to that adopted in other
Case study
‘
We believe that promoting progress into
areas, and rather than devoting a whole day of
further education and training or employment
the week to Diploma learning, we have three
half-days, which fi tted in with the historical
helps to raise aspirations
way we have been doing things here.
“In the past four years, we have set up a
’
“It also gave us 10 learning hours for
Principal Learning, though each school was
fi ve private work-based providers involved, as expected to cover Functional Skills itself.
series of learning alliances which are organised well as number of local businesses, who help “Co-ordinators within the learning alliance
geographically around the borough and which to provide Principal Learning. were responsible for making sure the kids
allow schools and colleges in a locality to work “Delivering Diplomas has been a steep got there and we have local authority-run
together to access each other’s courses.” learning curve and the challenge has been minibuses to ferry them around, or they go by
All these courses are vocationally related, with all the diff erent partners working public transport.
and include GCSE in health and social care together, even though we have had “T_h ey also have to work out timetables
and BTECs in performing arts, ICT, and collaboration before,” Ms Fisher continued. across the borough, though this was not easy.
animation. “It has given teachers a chance to refl ect on Now we have more lines of learning coming
T_h e collaboration is underpinned by local how they have delivered courses so far. We online, it will become even more complicated.
authority-wide procedures, which have been have set up a Skills Centre, which is housed “T_h e one thing that is crucial is
embedded in Barnsley’s quality toolkit since in surplus local authority buildings, where we communication between everyone involved,
2004 and include agreed procedures for have mocked up a hospital ward to stimulate because you constantly have to get updates
quality assurance, monitoring of achievement a working environment, as well as a bedroom on who is doing what. It can take a lot of
and progress, teaching and learning, and with a kitchen and bathroom and wheelchair time to get answers so keeping the lines of
learner voice. access as if in an old people’s home.” communication open is crucial.” DD
T_h e authority has three main priorities “Employers come in to do Principal
For more case studies and
and strands of development: promoting Learning, but also learners can go off -site to
articles, make sure you visit
the learning of work-related skills, the gain practical experience, depending on what
www.deliveringdiplomas.com
development of vocational qualifi cations, course they are following.”
24 Delivering Diplomas • Volume 1 No 1 Autumn 2009
24 barnsley case.indd 12 18/9/09 14:39:12
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