Case study


Awards 2010: Consortia of the Year Our Diploma Awards focus continues with a look at the contenders in the Consortium of the Year category


country – in terms of design, development and teaching. It was the intention of the previous


T


government that schools should work together with colleges, employers and other stakeholders to create a qualifi cation that would both bridge the gap between academic and vocational learning, and provide business and industry with a competent, well-educated workforce. T e concept required forward-thinking


by all concerned and one excellent example of best practice in this area has been the North Somerset Partnership – winner of the Consortium of the Year in this year’s Delivering Diplomas awards. T e partnership has demonstrated several


areas of exemplary practice, and its work has been fi lmed to help other consortia through the Diploma Support website. Staff working for the consortium give willingly of their time to help colleagues in other partnerships in the region. Its work is so highly thought of, in fact, that


it often presents in regional events and shares its resources with others. T e success of the consortium is partly


26


HE COLLABORATION required in delivering Diplomas has been unprecedented in the history of education in this


down to the local authority providing excellent leadership to schools and to the wider partnership represented on the 14 to 19 Strategic Board. Moyra Pascoe, partnership director for the


West of England Learning and Skills Council, said that as a result “there has been an embracing of Diplomas in a planned approach which has seen the active involvement of all schools in the authority, alongside Weston College of Further Education. “T is has uniquely led to 90 per cent of


schools with the College delivering one or more Diplomas, with all schools delivering at least one in 2010 with delivery at all three levels. T is initial leadership and planned approach resulted in signifi cantly early Gateway success.” T e success of the qualifi cation has also


been refl ected in schools. Backwell School, in Flax Bourton, for example, was graded as “outstanding” for its Diploma delivery in an Ofsted inspection, with the then Department for Children, Schools and Families sharing the school’s lead practitioners’ models with other consortia nationally. T is method of working was also praised as highly eff ective in an evaluation carried out by the University of the West of England of LSC-funded Work Related Learning Projects. Employer engagement has been a key


plank of North Somerset’s approach with partnerships being forged with the National Trust, Wilmott Dixon, the Grand Pier at Weston-Super-Mare and the BBC. Ms Pascoe added: “T e whole North


Somerset approach has put the student experience at the heart of the development of Diplomas, and this approach is paying huge dividends.” Schools are fully on board with the


partnership’s aims. Stephanie Quayle, head of St Katherine’s School in Pill, near Bristol, said: “From the outset, the interest of schools was secured by the enthusiasm and vision of the core 14 to 19 team. “In the early days, investing in the Diploma


was a step into the unknown for some very successful schools that might have simply protected their existing curriculum off ers and allowed others to undertake the pioneering route on their behalf. “T e fact that this was not our decision


speaks volumes for the commitment to personalisation and curriculum innovation that is embedded in all of our schools.” A spin-off of the Diploma in North


Somerset’s schools has been the framework for wider learning provided by the PLTs, Ms Quale added. “Diploma learning is now embedded in all of our learning institutions.”


Delivering Diplomas • Volume 2 No 2 Autumn 2010


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