Diploma FAQs
The Key is a national independent service for school leaders, which answers questions on all aspects
of school leadership. We asked Fe McKerrell to discuss the top Diploma queries they have received
in recent months
CHOOL LEADERS charged with delivering Diplomas small number of students who were willing to take on the
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have a very practical outlook: they want to get the best qualifi cation. T_h e Department for Children, Schools and Families
outcomes for their students by making sure their diploma (DCSF) says that around 600 students attempted to complete
programme runs eff ortlessly alongside the rest of school life. Foundation and Higher Diplomas in its fi rst year. Of these, 178
T_h e questions we have been asked refl ect the reality of running achieved a pass grade and 34 were awarded a U.
the Diplomas in schools – for example, how to integrate the T_h e provisional results published by the Joint Council for
diff erent elements of the Diploma programme into school Qualifi cations show that 121 students completed the Foundation
timetables. Diploma and 91 completed the Higher Diploma.
School leaders are also interested in the bigger picture and are T_h ese totals include students who received U grades. T_h e numbers
keen to know the participation and pass rates of the programme as above do not mean that the remaining students withdrew from
a whole and when new lines of learning will be introduced. their Diploma courses. T_h ey may have switched from a one-year to
a two-year programme and if so will be expected to complete their
Tackling timetabling Diplomas in 2010.
Because of the very focused nature of Diplomas, they sometimes As more lines of learning are introduced, the Diplomas should
require students to work with specialist equipment for longer periods become of interest to a larger number of potential students. T_h ere
than other qualifi cations. Fitting everything in alongside GCSEs are already 10 Diplomas available and by 2013, all three levels of
and so on can be a challenge, but there is free guidance available Diploma will be available in 17 broad employment sectors.
along with some tried and tested ideas. T_h e 10 currently on off er are: Construction and the Built
T_h e Diplomas take up a large proportion of the key stage 4 Environment; Engineering; Society, Health and Development;
timetable. T_h e Foundation Diploma requires 600 guided learning Creative and Media; Information Technology; Environment and
hours (GLH) over the course of two years, while the Higher Land-based Studies; Manufacturing and Product Design; Hair
Diploma requires 800 GLH over the same period. and Beauty Studies; Business, Administration and Finance; and
However, Diploma students do not have to be taught separately Hospitality.
for all of these hours. Functional Skills, for example, can be covered From September 2010, another four lines of learning will be
within the compulsory elements of the curriculum. T_h e Additional introduced: Public Services; Sport and Active Leisure; Retail; and
and Specialist Learning (ASL) may take the form of a GCSE. Travel and Tourism.
One way to incorporate the Diploma is to timetable it at the And from September 2011, the fi nal three lines of learning will
same time as GCSE option subjects. If schools schedule Diploma be added: Humanities and Social Sciences; Science (Foundation and
sessions in this way, the QCDA (Qualifi cations and Curriculum Higher only); Languages and International Communication. From
Development Agency) suggests organising the school timetable so September 2012 the Science Diploma will be available at Advanced
that core subjects are taught three days a week and options/Diplomas Level.
two days a week. Using two whole days for the delivery of Diplomas Following a three-year programme of evaluation, the national
will allow students enough time to access off -site provision. entitlement will be fully introduced in 2013. By then, all pupils
T_h e QCDA analysis of the 14 to 19 pathfi nder project found that across England will be able to take any one of the Diplomas. While
schools tended to opt for this arrangement. One of its strengths is the Diplomas are rolling out, it will be interesting to monitor
that it allows students to complete their core curriculum and the ongoing uptake and completion rates as well as what comes to be
Diploma without missing any lessons. Other possibilities include considered as best practice. DD
restructuring the length of lessons to allow for fewer, longer periods
within the school day. To fulfi l all the course requirements, elements • Fe McKerrell is a specialist curriculum researcher at T_h e Key. Visit
of the Diploma – including Functional Skills, and Personal, Learning www.usethekey.org.uk
and T_h inking Skills – can be integrated right across the curriculum,
as opposed to being taught separately. You can get free face-to-face T_h e top fi ve Diploma queries (November 2009 to
support to help with timetabling Diplomas from the Learning Skills January 2010)
Improvement Service (LSIS). It can be accessed via the Diploma 1 Key stage 4 timetabling: how to incorporate the Diploma.
support website (www.diploma-support.org). 2 Diploma: 2009 participation rates.
3 14 to 19 Diploma lines of learning.
T_h e national picture 4 Awards for partial completion (Foundation and Higher).
In its fi rst year, the Diploma proved to be of interest to a relatively 5 14 to 19 Diplomas: funding.
48 Delivering Diplomas • Volume 2 No 1 Spring 2010
48 Key.indd 8 5/3/10 13:35:56
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