Politics T e Diplomas since the coalition came to power May 12 May 6


General Election takes place


Coalition deal agreed bringing


Conservative and Liberal Democrat


coalition to power. Michael Gove named secretary of state for education


not be required to obtain approval from the government before doing so. A source at the Department told us:


“Ministers have decided not to hold any more Gateway exercises, so putting the Diploma on the same footing as other qualifi cations in terms of approval to teach. T ere is a considerable amount of expertise now after four Gateways in local authorities, schools and colleges.” Ministers also announced that schools and


‘ 6


colleges will no longer be required to work in collaboration with each other – as part of consortia – to off er Diploma lines. T e source said: “Schools and colleges will


May 13


Nick Gibb named schools


minister, with responsibility for Diplomas


June 7


Diplomas in Languages,


Sciences and Humanities scrapped


June 24


Nick Gibb removes the entitlement,


freeing schools and colleges to choose which Diplomas to off er.


Development of the Extended Diploma is stopped


would make it easier for schools and colleges to decide which Diplomas to off er. Dr Dunford said: “We have sought a


simplifi cation of the Gateway process and ending it will reduce the amount of bureaucracy surrounding the start of Diploma work. “I hope very much that schools and colleges


will continue to collaborate on 14 to 19 learning, as many of them did before the Diploma was invented. However, the relaxing of the obligation to collaborate refl ects the fact that groups of schools and colleges no longer have to off er every Diploma line at every level, and it will contribute to the simplifi cation of off ering Diplomas.”


Removing the entitlement to all 14 Diploma lines is a sensible, welcome decision. We strongly support Diplomas but believe their complex structure can be simplifi ed and this is a move in the right direction Dr John Dunford


no longer have to work in collaboration. Many already work in partnership on many fronts because there are advantages in doing so, and they may decide to continue to collaborate on delivering Diplomas. “But we want individual schools and


colleges to be able to off er Diploma courses at a level which suits their learners without stipulating that it has to be as part of a consortium. T is will allow schools and colleges to widen their off er to students, providing them with an increased range of qualifi cations to better suit their needs.” Ministers said they hoped the changes


of the classroom unions. Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said the developments raised “some extremely serious issues”. “Yet again there has been no consultation


and no evaluation of impact on young people and on schools,” she said. “T e only reason why robust structures of schools working together are being dismantled is because schools working together in the interests of young people does not accord with this government’s ideological fi xation with the introduction of a quasi market in the public sector.”


’ However, the news was not welcomed by some July 22


The Gateway process for


institutions wanting to off er Diplomas is to end.


Duty on schools


to collaborate on Diplomas also axed


However, a government spokesman


told Delivering Diplomas that the changes would not prevent schools from working in collaboration with other educational institutions if they wished to do so. He said: “We are not dismantling the current


arrangements whereby schools and colleges work together in off ering Diplomas. Schools and colleges work in partnership on many fronts because there are many advantages in doing so and they can certainly continue to collaborate on Diplomas if they wish. “But if they would fi nd it easier to off er


Diplomas without collaborating, they no longer have to. We are removing these barriers so schools and colleges will fi nd it easier to make decisions about which diplomas to off er and when, to the greater benefi t of their students.” But Ms Keates said it was an “arrant


nonsense” to present the changes as a way to allow schools more fl exibility over which Diplomas they off er their students.


Under review In September, ministers announced a review of 14 to 19 education, to be carried out by Professor Alison Wolf of King’s College London, which is expected to look at provision in exactly the areas that the Diploma lines address. Needless to say, this publication, along with


the thousands of Diploma professionals and students, will watch and listen with interest to its fi ndings. T e changes to Diplomas so far have fundamentally altered their position in the education system. Of this there is no doubt. However, the feared abolition of the


qualifi cation has not manifested itself, and some of the steps taken to simplify the processes involved in off ering a Diploma could see previously reluctant schools and colleges changing their opinions.


DD Delivering Diplomas • Volume 2 No 2 Autumn 2010


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