The Diploma

The Diploma is a new qualification for 14-19 year olds that offers a mixture of classroom learning and hands-on practical experience - including work experience - to help you to learn about:

• A broad line of learning - such as creative and media, society, health and development, engineering or public services.
• The Functional Skills of maths, English and ICT - the practical bits of these subjects, which are needed to cope in life and at work.
  
• Personal, learning and thinking skills - including such things as team
• working and study skills.

You'll also be able to do additional and specialist learning such as GCSEs as part

of your Diploma. 

I've heard that Diplomas are offered by a local consortium - what does this mean?

A consortium is an arrangement where schools, colleges and training providers in a local area work together in a partnership so that they can offer a wider range of courses for students aged 14 -19.

They offer subjects at the same time in all schools and colleges in their area and also provide joint provision - so that some of the subjects you choose might be taught by a teacher from a different school or college for some or that entire subject.

 

What's my local Consortium called?

The local partnerships of schools, colleges and training providers who are offering a range of courses including Diplomas to students in their area are:

• Continu - Wyre Forest and Hagley areas
• Forward - Bromsgrove, Droitwich Spa and Redditch
• South Worcestershire Network - consists of three different consortia who are working together:
  • Aspire : Worcester, Martley and Droitwich Spa
  • EpiC: Evesham and Pershore
  • UMC: Upton-upon-Severn and Malvern.

What levels of Diploma are there?  

• A Foundation Diploma is at level one and is worth the same as five GCSEs at grades D - G
• A Higher Diploma is at level two and is worth the same as seven GCSEs at grades A* - C
• An Advanced Progression Diploma is at level three and is worth the same as two and a half A levels
• An Advanced Diploma is at level three and is worth the same as three and a half A levels.

Foundation and Higher Diplomas may be available as part of your 13+ Key Stage 4 option choice -

so that they can be chosen alongside GCSE subjects.  Advanced Diplomas are only on offer as

16+ choices.

What types of Diplomas are available?

Diplomas may be on offer in the following lines of learning:

• Business, Administration and Finance
• Construction and the Built Environment
• Creative and Media
• Engineering
• Environmental and Land-based
• Hair and Beauty
• Hospitality
• Information Technology
• Manufacturing and Product Design
• Public Services
• Retail Business
• Society, Health and Development
• Sports and Active Leisure 
• Travel and Tourism
  

However, not all the different lines of learning or levels of Diploma may be on offer in your local area - you need to find out more what's on offer near to you. 

Interested? Find out more about Diplomas:

Talk to your:

• Personal tutor or careers co-ordinator at school or college 
• Personal Adviser from Connexions Worcestershire 

Go online:

You can find out more information about all the 14+ qualifications including Diplomas on the direct gov website.

• Find our more about jobs by using the Next Steps job profiles 

What can a Diploma lead to?

Diplomas lead to the same opportunities that are on offer to students doing other courses at the same level for example GCSE courses. So for example, you can go on from:

• A Foundation Diploma to a Higher Diploma, GCSE or other level 2 course such as work-related learning or into employment, or an apprenticeship.
  
• A Higher Diploma to an Advanced Diploma, Advanced Progression Diploma, AS or other level 3 course such as work-related learning or into employment, or an apprenticeship.

and at 16+

• An Advanced or Advanced Progression Diploma, to a degree or other level 4+ course such as work-related learning, or into employment or an apprenticeship.