Last updated: 12 Jun 2008

For Diplomas to be successful, centres need to build an effective curriculum that balances the needs of the Diploma with existing provision. QCA has developed resources to assist centres in Diploma consortia to develop their curriculum offer.

Design for success: shaping your curriculum to incorporate the Diploma is the first in a series of tools to help schools and colleges in Diploma consortia introduce these new qualifications. The guidance was published in 2007, with additional guidance published in 2008, and includes detailed examples and illustrations of different and creative approaches to delivery and curriculum design. The following guidance documents can be downloaded from the right hand of side of this page :

• Design for success: shaping your curriculum to incorporate the Diploma
• curriculum examples 1: the Diploma within the key stage 4 curriculum
• curriculum examples 2: progression through the Diploma
• curriculum examples 3: whole school
• functional skills delivery and the Diploma: guidance and illustrations
• creative approaches to curriculum planning: key stage 4
• curriculum illustrations for the Diploma post-16

We are also developing resources to support Diplomas in the next five lines of learning (due for first teaching in September 2009).

QCA's Diploma curriculum guidance can be used to support curriculum planners and teachers make decisions about introducing Diplomas and developing schemes of work that meet the needs of Diploma learners. This web-based guidance is in a similar format to the revised programmes of study for key stage 4 and is available across the first five Lines of Learning for all three levels and includes information on relevant key themes and processes, range and content, and curriculum opportunities. The guidance resources are available from the Curriculum for the Diploma section in the related links section on the right hand side of this page.