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The ONLY weekly voice for secondary education Issue 221 • September 3 2009 Price £1.00
www.sec-ed.com
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£10,000 ICT Press slammed for
giveaway!
misleading reports
Diploma coverage in the national press labelled “wide of the mark”
SecEd is launching the new
term by offering two schools
the chance to win a Birchfield
Interactive VLE Games Pack
by Chris Parr
and Question Editor worth
Misleading press coverage of the
£3,549 and other prizes
new Diplomas could be damaging
Page 18 the qualification, according to
leading educationalists.
Recent news stories in the
national press have been labelled
“unhelpful” and “wide of the mark”
by unions and experts, and slammed
for their negativity.
Last week, a number of nation-
al newspapers ran coverage of
National Evaluation of Diplomas,
a report into how universities per-
Studying the Bard
ceive the Diplomas.
The Guardian reported that
We have a special focus
“scepticism over the value of
on Shakespeare this week,
Diplomas” meant students would
“struggle to get into elite universi-
including a look at his
ties”, while The Telegraph claimed
Sonnets, and what Bard-
that Diploma students “must take
related CPD there is out there an A level to get into university”.
Pages 8, 9 and 13
Experts have dismissed both of in our research to support the claim She continued: “Other news sto- wouldn’t expect a health and beauty The report, carried out by the
these claims. that students would find it difficult ries have claimed that some univer- Diploma student to be accepted National Foundation for Educational
SecEd digital
Dr John Dunford, general secre- to be accepted on university cours- sities will ‘require A levels’. This on a chemistry degree course, for Research and Exeter University,
tary of the Association of School and es. In fact, we have reported posi- is true to an extent, since a univer- example. found that all 19 of the univer-
College Leaders, said: “The people tive findings across the whole range sity history course may well require “However, the engineering sities questioned would welcome
and SecEd
currently doing the Diplomas are of universities, which welcome the an A level in history as an entry Diploma is excellent preparation applications from the first Level 3
seeing them in a very positive light. Diplomas’ breadth of learning and requirement. for degree-level engineering, and it Diploma cohort, due to finish their
on Twitter
We need to get these views across learning style.” “But reports that Diploma stu- would be a disgrace if universities studies next year.
to parents, and to employers, which One press article quoted a sec- dents will require an A level are did not accept it.” Around 12,000 students began
the media can help to do. tion of the report that claimed no wide of the mark, as the Diploma Professor Michael Arthur, vice- studying the new qualifications last
Thousands of teachers are
“Quite frankly, some of the managers at “research intensive” is designed and built in a way that chancellor of Leeds University, year, with provisional government
reading SecEddigital, a virtual
media coverage we are getting at universities had reported high levels allows students to do additional and backed the report, saying it con- figures suggesting that three times
the moment is unhelpful in this of “internal support” for the new specialist learning. This may well firmed the “overwhelming support” that number will take a Diploma
edition of SecEd, which is
respect,” he added. qualification. be an A level or, at key stage 4, a that UK universities have for the from September. Last month
emailed out every week.
In addition to Dr Dunford’s com- Dr Haynes responded: GCSE. But it doesn’t have to be.” Diploma. He added: “The new (August), 212 students became
You can sign up for free by ments, the co-author of the report, “Understandably, as you’d expect Dr Dunford echoed Dr Haynes’s qualification offers a new way of the first to receive their Diploma
emailing editor@sec-ed.co.uk.
Dr Gill Haynes, has told SecEd with any new qualifications, a lot of comments, claiming it would be learning that engages and stretches results. See page 6 for more.
SecEd news and features are
that there was “nothing whatso- staff at universities want to see how unreasonable for universities to young people from all backgrounds.
now also available on Twitter.
ever” in her findings to suggest that the Diplomas develop and pan out. accept any Diploma for any degree It also provides students with crucial • SecEd is launching Delivering
Diploma students would find it dif- But we spoke to vice-chancellors course. independent learning, critical think- Diplomas, a magazine offering
You can follow us at www.
ficult to get into so-called “prestig- and admissions managers at univer- He said: “Diplomas are very dif- ing and teamwork skills, which will support to Diploma deliverers. Sign
14904 ATL Books+Bubbles Press ad 50x277 25/8/09 10:32 Page 1
twitter.com/SecEd_Education
ious” higher education institutions. sities, and nobody said they would ferent to A levels, and the individual prepare them extremely well for a up to receive your free copy at www.
She told us: “We found nothing not accept the Diploma.” lines are different to each other. You university course.” deliveringdiplomas.co.uk
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At the chalkface
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