Gateway 4 Results are in ......
Once again Suffolk did well in the last round of Gateway applications. We are approaved to run a further 20 diploma lines in 2011. For those consortia receiving a Category 2 result please contact Steve Payne for a meeting regarding the action plans required by Cambridge Education. these need to be completed by end of May.
DCSF Diploma Newletter - March 2010
New Nuts and Bolts Guides from DCSF - including Engineering, Diploma Administration and Communications
I am delighted to tell you that the Spring issue of Delivering Diplomas magazine, the new magazine dedicated to the 14 to 19 Diploma has just been published. Please click here to access your personal copy.
The magazine provides practical advice and guidance to support anyone involved in the Diploma. It contains comprehensive case studies from all members of the Diploma consortia, comment and advice from key organisations and government agencies, and the latest Diploma news and policy information.
Among some of the topics featured in this issue are:
- Practical case studies of PLTS, Extended Project, and Work Experience in action: pages 27, 39 and 47
- A focus on the political landscape and what the forthcoming General Election might mean for Diplomas: page 9
- A look at the most common Diploma questions being asked by practitioners: pages 48
- A main feature on Functional Skills, assessing what exactly being “functional” means: pages 19 and 20
- Advice for examiners, looking at appealing marks, internal moderation, and rewriting exam board assignments: pages 28 and 29
- Comment and opinion from Iain Wright, 14 to 19 Minister: page 8
- A research report analysing the Diplomas programme, this issue focusing on why students have chosen to study a Diploma: page 10
- Advice on delivering ASL and PLTS: pages 30 and 31
This digital edition is freely available to anyone who registers their interest, so please encourage all members of your consortium to visit our website at http://www.deliveringdiplomas.com/" href="http://news.markallengroup.com/_act/link.php?mId=J8364739926190575234543277&tId=2878354">www.deliveringdiplomas.com to ensure that they receive every issue of http://content.yudu.com/A1n3za/DelDipV2N1/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=" href="http://news.markallengroup.com/_act/link.php?mId=J8364739926190575234543277&tId=2878355">Delivering Diplomas delivered direct to their inbox.
QCDA has launched the DIPLOMA VALIDATOR, a new online tool which enables curriculum planners to check that every Diploma learner is on a valid programme of study.
Using the tool, curriculum planners can check that all of the constituent qualifications the learner is taking are compatible with the line of learning and level of the Diploma, and that the combination of qualifications is sufficient to produce a complete Diploma. If the programme of study is shown as invalid then, as long as the check is done early enough, the learner will be able to change their programme and recover the lost time on their new course.
More information about the Diploma Validator, including a factsheet and frequently asked questions, is available from QCDA's Diploma pages http://diplomavalidator.qcda.gov.uk/
The SWISS partnership have kindly agreed to share their Diploma Marketing and IAG materials with all consortia.
Go to the Diploma IAG folder in the navigator panel to access resources. If other consortia would like to contribute their materials please contact Kath Ridealgh on kath.ridealgh@suffolk.gov.uk
This large-scale multi-strand evaluation (2008 - 2013) is exploring how diplomas are being implemented and delivered, and assessing their impact on participation in education and training post-16 and attainment. The perceptions of key stakeholders such as parents, employers and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to Diplomas were also sought in this research. This latest report was based on a telephone survey undertaken in January and February 2009 of 254 (out of 310) Gateway 2 Consortium Leads (applications assessed in the second wave) about their planning and preparation for the new Diploma lines of learning (programmes of study) they would be offering from September 2009.
Key findings from the report:
Overall, consortia felt prepared for the delivery of Diplomas from September 2009, with most reporting that they were either ‘well’ or ‘fairly well’ prepared in relation to the factors listed including staffing levels, staff expertise and availability of specialised facilities, equipment and resources.
At the time of the interviews, consortia were most concerned about future funding in order to sustain provision; providing transport (especially in rural areas); and assessment and accreditation although training and support for this was scheduled for the coming months.
Most consortia were planning some degree of partnership delivery between schools and other organisations, maximising the benefits of staff expertise and facilities across partners.
Having strong leadership, establishing and maintaining effective communication between partners, and developing a shared vision for Diploma implementation, were considered important for overcoming any challenges of collaborative working.
Just over two-thirds of consortia were planning to deliver three or fewer lines of learning from September 2009; the higher level Diploma (Level 2) was most likely to be offered. A majority of consortium leads anticipated that there would be 100 or fewer learners starting a Diploma in September 2009 in their consortium.
And don't forget that if you would like to start marketing and promoting the Diploma you can visit the Suffolk 14-19 Marketing Toolkit wiki for ideas. There are also national marketing materials available including:
- Leaflets for young people, parents, schools, colleges and employers;
- DVDs for young people, employers and on the Extended Project;
- A4 posters
You can order any of these publications as a hard copy, or download an electronic copy from the Teachernet website (put 'Diploma' into the Search box)
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