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 A/S or A levels, Extended projects or a vocational course 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.
What types of Diplomas are available?
From September 2011 Diplomas will 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 -
- Connexions Worcestershire
Go online:
For information about which Diplomas are on offer locally use your local online area prospectus in Worcestershire or Herefordshire- You can find out more information about all the 16+ options including Diplomas on Connexionsdirect about Diplomas on The Diploma website and on the direct gov website.
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 or A level 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.
- 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.
