14-19 Diplomas - an Introduction

The purpose of the 14-19 Diplomas in specialist subjects is to provide qualifications that blend academic and vocational learning in an exciting, stretching and relevant programme of learning. A specialist diploma will take a young person where they want to go, either to further or higher education or to the world of work, with equal esteem.

Each Diploma will have pathways to accommodate a wide range of aspirations. They are being designed to appeal to the most capable students preparing for demanding university courses, to students who fail to engage with the extreme alternatives of existing academic and vocational provision and to students planning to enter the workforce directly from their diploma studies. Diplomas will therefore give young people a real alternative to traditional learning styles by offering a high quality blend of general education and applied learning.

Diplomas will be available at Levels 1, 2 and 3. In terms of workload and achievement, Level 1 will be equivalent to 4-5 GCSEs, Level 2 to 5-6 GCSEs, & Level 3 will be equivalent to 3 A-levels. Diplomas at all levels will incorporate:

• Principal learning - this will develop knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to a broad economic sector, using realistic contexts and leading-edge toolsets and materials. It will require a combination of targeted work experience and virtual access to industry knowledge.
• Generic learning - this will ensure that all Diploma students develop transferable functional skills which are relevant to successful learning and future employment. This includes personal learning and thinking skills, an extended project, and functional application of Maths, English and ICT. This learning will typically be embedded across the Principal Learning.
• Additional & specialist learning - this 30% (2 GCSE equivalent) will allow learners to tailor their programme according to their interests and aspirations. This may include further specialisation within a line of learning, complementary studies in another line of learning, or studies in unrelated areas.

Access to any of the14 specialist diplomas will be the statutory right of all 14-19 learners by 2013. DfES will using a competitive process (November 2006) to select Local Authorities to pilot one or more of 5 pathfinder diplomas from September 2008. Pilot status will be vital to develop the necessary curriculum, learning models and delivery partnerships – which should include more than one school, F&HE partners and employer participation. The 2008 subject areas are:

• Construction & the Built Environment
• Creative & Media
• Engineering
• Information Technology
• Society, Health & Development.
  
  
  

IT Diploma Overview

The ‘IT’ specialised Diploma will offer a radically new development opportunity, stretching and engaging a wide spectrum of students with highly relevant, business-oriented learning. This will be particularly relevant to those considering IT professional or business-oriented roles in their future careers, but this Diploma will reflect the inextricable intertwining of IT and business in today’s world of work.  It will provide students with the knowledge and experience that will enhance their employment prospects in any sector of the economy.

Young people will be able to choose a balance of learning appropriate to their aspirations, whether that is to progress to a leading university or to enter the workforce directly from their Diploma studies.

At Level 3, it is anticipated that the Diploma will give students a solid understanding of modern businesses, technology fundamentals and the application of IT in support of business operations. English and Maths will be a key part of the programme and will be brought to life through practical application, with particular focus on standards of written and spoken language. Through the Extended Project, students will learn and apply industry-relevant project management disciplines, including project planning, risk analysis and progress monitoring. To complement the mandatory content, the Diploma will also include a wide range of options which are valued by employers in the sector, including A Levels and IT professional qualifications.

Employers will be engaged throughout the Diploma experience, helping to provide up to date work projects, mentoring and work-related experiences.

Diploma Levels 1 and 2 are being developed to provide progression not only through the IT line of learning but also to other Diploma lines of learning and other Level 3 development programmes (including traditional A-level routes and Apprenticeships).

To find out more about the IT Diploma visit the e-skills UK 14-19 Diploma pages

Creative & Media Diploma - An Overview

The ‘Creative and Media’ specialised Diploma will offer young people an innovative and stimulating learning programme in which they are at the centre of their learning experience. The emerging structure of the Diploma embraces the experiential learning cycle and places it at the core, focusing on the process over outcome, and the role of the learner in meaningfully engaging in that process.

This Diploma will combine theoretical knowledge and the practical skill development, where the applied learning is delivered in the context of the creative and media sectors. This means that young people will develop valuable transferable skills that they can apply in stimulating and engaging contexts, and which support progression into Higher Education or further education or training in a wide range of subject areas. The aim is to open doors, to create life chances and to place value on lifelong learning and creativity.

The content of the ‘Creative and Media’ Diploma is under development, with significant input from industry. The sector coverage is broad, including:

• visual arts;
• performing arts;
• music;
• craft;
• advertising;
• design;
• fashion design;
• film and television;
• radio;
• interactive media;
• computer games;
• animation; and
• print media.

Central to the sector specific learning is the development of personal learning and thinking skills, which will form the spine of the whole qualification. Also running through the principal learning will be a common core, identified by industry as representing the essential knowledge & skills that should be developed, likely to include:

• ways of thinking and working creatively;
• an understanding of the industry in terms of its structure;
• diversity and activity;
• a grasp of basic politics and current affairs;
• an understanding of the social, cultural and historical context, and
• the key personal attributes that are essential to succeed.
  

To find out more about the Creative and Media Diploma visit:
www.creativeandmediadiploma.org
Skillset 14-19 Diploma pages

For more information and documents visit the 14-19 Specialist Diploma Gateway