Gateway to success
The regular announcements regarding successful Diploma bids show that getting proposals through the
Gateway process is not as easy as it may seem. Neil Fletcher of_f ers his advice
CROSS ENGLAND there are local authorities and 14 An ‘open door’ policy
A
to 19 partnerships examining disappointing results from Spreading the word about work experience, teacher engagement,
the recent Gateway 3. Partnerships in more than half and general promotion of the Diploma is critical to developing
of the local authorities have learned that their Diploma confi dence in the new system. Do not forget, employers are often
proposals have been turned down by government assessors or parents too and the most successful businesses are those with a
require further work to enable them to launch in 2010. strong commitment to recruiting young talent. LSN research
Improving the success rate has to be a priority for local shows that “employability” in work-seekers is best learnt from
authorities and 14 to 19 partnerships. Based on our experience in periods of work experience, work-shadowing and volunteering
this area, the Learning and Skills Network (LSN) has produced – so involving employers in the planning and delivery of Diplomas
advice to help consortia get applications back on track. is a win-win. One of the most likely reasons for a Diploma bid
being turned down is a failure to engage local employers. Use your
Project leaders contacts with local employers to negotiate work placements and
Clear lines of management and leadership are essential for learning projects.
co-ordinating large projects. In many bid proposals it has been
unclear where the fi nal decision on key matters regarding the Diploma champions
planning and delivery of Diplomas lies. Having a single point of T_h e government is currently identifying national Diploma
responsibility, whether it is from the local authority offi ce, school champions who can promote their support for Diplomas to local
or college, will give clarity and ensure delays are avoided. employers, the public, and national media. You can participate
in this process by having a spokesperson willing to share their
A clear action plan story with local media or at events. Experience from the fi rst
A team works best when it has a consistent planning framework Diploma proposals show that engaging the support from a
and common timetables. Planning techniques and timetabling few key employers will encourage other local employers to get
may work well for one partner but not for another. For example, involved. Local Education Business Partnerships and the Diploma
teachers and offi ce-based local authority staff will have very Employer Champions Network can provide advice and help. T_h e
diff erent patterns of availability for meetings and delivery. When involvement of higher education with every Diploma line must be
planning, consider the diff erent cultures, structures and internal assured from the outset.
operations of each organisation involved. Clearly identify areas of
responsibility and action points and be sure all those involved are Build in quality assurance
aware of their duties and deadlines well ahead of time. Teams of practitioners can learn from each other by sharing their
experiences. Regular evaluation of progress by peers can raise
Set fi rm deadlines standards by spotting weaknesses at an early stage. Nevertheless,
A team is only as strong as its weakest link, so mutual support a single fi nal stage of assessment should run the rule over all bids
is crucial when the project is under pressure. T_h is is particularly to build consistency prior to Gateway. In Gateways 1 and 2,
true when team members are dispersed in diff erent organisations many bids failed because they lacked the evidence of the quality
– keeping in touch gives everyone a sense of the importance of assurance. T_h ese omissions may have been spotted at an earlier
fi nishing on time. Timely collaboration with others, especially in stage if a proper system of scrutiny had been in place.
diff erent institutions, can be easy to defer and this can result in
missed deadlines, so agree that plans must have deadlines and that Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
keeping them is non-negotiable. A phone call or email a couple of Key stage 3 is where IAG needs to begin so that choices at the age
days ahead of deadline is sometimes all it takes to stay on track. of 14 can be aspirational and liberate young minds. A considerable
number of bids failed to integrate the professionals who are
Communications manager responsible for the delivery of IAG into the proposal planning
Diploma delivery requires input from a wide range of professionals and delivery. Ensure your IAG provider is well integrated into the
from within the diff erent lines of learning, teaching and support planning team from the outset. DD
staff , local authorities, and local employers. Diplomas by their very
nature require close working partnerships, which can be diffi cult • Neil Fletcher is a senior associate at the Learning and Skills
to manage. A designated communications manager should Network. Previously, he was the leader of the Inner London Education
carefully co-ordinate the release of the key Diploma messages to Authority. For more advice, email enquiries@lsneducation.org.uk or
ensure a timely and consistent narrative. visit www.lsnlearning.org.uk
Delivering Diplomas • Volume 1 No 1 Autumn 2009 61
59-61 hanham.indd 15 18/9/09 15:43:46
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