Last updated: 01 Apr 2008

New, unique and exciting

 

The Diplomas concentrate on preparing students for real life though teaching them about specific industries, and giving them hands-on experience of jobs they’d like to do. As well as vital knowledge, the Diplomas also equip students with the skills they’ll need to succeed. Diplomas complement established GCSE and A level qualifications, offering learners a range of options to suit their needs.

The Diplomas have been carefully designed so that they appeal to the different ways students learn – their learning preferences – and so that students will want to take part and do well.

Each Diploma is devoted to a specific sector – the Line of Learning - such as Engineering, Retail Business or Media, and has been developed in partnership with employers (Diploma Development Partnerships). This means that the Diplomas are what employers in each sector really want for prospective successful employees. The Diplomas all have a Line of Learning Statement that sets out what students will need to learn. These detailed statements cover what needs to be included in the curriculum and awarding body specifications, as well as how to make sure that the teaching and learning are appropriate and fit for purpose.

No other qualification has such solid backing from employers in the relevant sectors - this makes the Diploma unique and exciting, both for students and for industry.

The Diplomas are being introduced in phases.

Guiding you through Diplomas

To help you teach the Diploma so that students get the most out of what they learn, we have developed some guidance for the first 14 lines of learning, at levels one, two and three. This non-statutory guidance supports partnership curriculum planners and teachers in making decisions about introducing the Diploma and devising schemes of work. The guidance also helps teachers and curriculum planners understand Awarding Bodies' specifications.

The guidance follows a similar format to that used for the revised programmes of study at key stage 4, using headings such as ‘key concepts’ and ‘range and content’, which you’ll recognise. This helps to create a holistic approach to the full 14-19 curriculum and planning across all forms of study – Diplomas, GCSEs and A levels.

Structure of the guidance

Future developments – your views matter

As we continue to work towards achieving our vision for the whole 14-19 curriculum, we will revise and refine the guidance to ensure that it offers teachers and planners the best support, at each stage of development.

We are very interested in receiving your feedback on the guidance, so if you have any comments please contact the Diploma team.