Diplomas and Vocational Choices in Kent
Other Options:
National Apprenticeship Scheme: Train to Gain (the Learning & Skills Council agency that runs the National Apprenticeship Scheme)
Train to Gain (South East); Key Training Services (Kent's agency for Kent Success Apprenticeships Scheme). Kent E2E Courses
General Information about Diploma's
Diplomas are qualifications designed to give students skills for life. They involve hands-on learning which aims to be fun and teach skills needed for the future.
Diplomas have been developed by schools, colleges, universities and employers working together, and are set to become one of the three main education options – alongside GCSEs and Apprenticeships – and they can take students on to college, university or the career of their choice. Sector skills councils are instrumental in developing the qualifications.
The Lines of Learning statement for each Diploma tell the QCA what needs to be included in the curriculum and specifications, and aims to ensure fitness for purpose.
The Official Diploma website
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Diploma Website
Delivering the Diploma
Insights from Diploma Pathfinders [PDF 1Mb]
National Database of Accredited Qualifications
Background and Diploma Governance
Diploma Levels.
- Foundation: a level 1 qualification. It is equivalent to five GCSEs grades D-G.
- Higher: a level 2 qualification. It is equivalent to seven GCSEs grades A* to C.
- Advanced: aimed at those over 16 is a level 3 qualification. It is equivalent to three and a half A levels.
- Progression: aimed at those over 16 is a level 3 qualification. It is equivalent to three and a half A levels.
What do Diplomas Involve?
- Principal Learning: focuses on developing the knowledge and skills needed for the Diploma subject, with an emphasis on learning by doing.
- Generic Learning: the same for all Diplomas. It ensures a good standard in the English, maths and ICT skills needed to deal with everyday life – as well as giving a grounding in the personal, learning and thinking skills useful both at university or college and in the workplace.
- Additional & Specialist Learning: a choice of extra subjects to study. These subjects could be related to the Diploma, or simply ones that reflect their interests and ambitions.
- Work Experience: the chance to do at least 10 days work experience and to work on a project to put into practice what is being learned.
How are Diplomas Assessed?
- Practical assessments marked by a teacher.
- External examinations.
- Projects.
Crucial to tracking assessment is a new organisation called MIAP. MIAP controls the tracking of progress across providers through a central computer system called Minerva and each Learner is automatically allocated a Unique Learner Number derived from the National Pupil Database Unique Pupil Number.
From September 2008
From September 2009
From September 2010
Kent Diplomas
Each Local Authority (LA) is required to maintain an Area Prospectus for 14-19 education. Kent's Online Prospectus is called Kentchoices4U. Content includes a list of providers (schools and colleges), and the subjects offered.
The prospectus can be found HERE.
The following is the 'official' list of consortia that were approved to run the Diplomas from September 2008. Individual schools within the consortia may offer a number of choices.
| Consortia |
Line |
L1 Learners |
L2 Learners |
L3 Learners |
Total |
Cat |
| Dartford Wilmington |
Construction |
60 |
40 |
0 |
100 |
|
| Dover Deal & Sandwich |
Soc Health D |
40 |
180 |
100 |
320 |
|
| Gravesham |
Const |
65 |
60 |
30 |
155 |
|
| Thanet |
SHD |
50 |
300 |
120 |
470 |
|
| Dartford Wilmington |
Cr&Med |
15 |
2 |
2 |
19 |
|
| Dartford Wilmington |
Eng |
20 |
25 |
25 |
70 |
|
| Dartford Wilmington |
IT |
20 |
120 |
40 |
180 |
|
| Dover Deal & Sandwich |
Const |
30 |
40 |
30 |
100 |
|
| Gravesham |
Cr&Med |
40 |
80 |
40 |
160 |
|
| Gravesham |
Eng |
60 |
60 |
30 |
150 |
|
| Maidstone & Malling |
Cr&Med |
25 |
10 |
15 |
50 |
|
| Thanet |
Cr&Med |
25 |
150 |
150 |
325 |
|
| Thanet |
IT |
30 |
150 |
80 |
260 |
|
| W Kent |
Const |
80 |
80 |
20 |
180 |
|
| W Kent |
Cr&Med |
60 |
150 |
120 |
330 |
|
| W Kent |
SHD |
30 |
110 |
80 |
220 |
|
Establishing the West Kent Vocational Partnership
W. Kent collaborative quality group draft self assessment tools
Kent Schools Offering Diplomas in Sept 2008 (by Cluster)
Deal & Sandwich:
Sandwich Technology School - Society Health & Development.
Dover:
Archers Court Maths & Computing College - Society Health & Development
Gravesend:
Gravesend Grammar School for Girls - Construction & Built Environment Lev 1,2,3
Northfleet School for Girls / Thamesview School - Construction & Built Environment Lev 1,2,3
Northfleet Technology College / Thamesviw - Construction & Built Environment
St Johns RC / Thamesview - Construction & Built Environment
Thamesview - Construction & Built Environment
Thanet
Charles Dickens School - Society Health & Dvelopment Lev 1,2
Chatham House Grammar School - Society Health & Development Lev 1,2,3
Clarendon House Grammar School - Society Health & Development Lev 1,2,3
Dane Court Grammar School - Society Health & Development Lev 1,2,3
Ellington School for Girls - Society Health & Development Lev 1,2
Hartsdown Technology College - Society Health & Development Lev 1,2,3
Hereson School - Society Health & Development Lev 1,2
King Ethelbert School - Society Health & Development Lev 1,2
Marlowe Academy - Society Health & Development Lev 1,2,3
St Georges CE (Broadstairs) - Socierty Health & Development Lev 1,2,3
Commentary
So, if you want to study a Diploma in Kent, forget it, most subjects aren't available, and most schools have gone for the easy choice. As you can see from the above you can only study two Diploma subjects across the whole of Kent next academic year; Construction and Society. Thanet have wholesale adopted the same Diploma in Society, and Thamesview is offering construction through neighbouring schools. Great Choice NOT!
The table above was issued by the Dept. Children Schools and Families (DCSF) for the first phase subjects. As you can see, Wilmington hasn't delivered on anything, Gravesham seems to have lost both creative media and engineering, Thanet have dropped creative media and IT, and West Kent have blown the lot!,
Graveshams adoption of Construction (albeit only Thamesview is actually running the course) is no doubt related to their new school builds under BSF! Free resources?
West kent schools are an embarrassment especially as they hold themselves up as Diploma best practice ... (see resources above), and have been paid large sums of public money to set up the West Kent Federation. Formed in 2005, it has spent large amounts of money and achieved absolutely nothing. Their Training School is still 'coming soon' (since 2005!!!). Indeed the whole site is still under construction.
Official Publications
Diploma DVD
Guide for FE
Guide for Schools
Choosing Y10 options
Choosing Y12 Options
Marketing Toolkit
Poster
Guide for employers
Other vocational and skills based learning.
Thanet Skills Studio
| Construction BTEC Award - Level 1 Certificate |
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Go |
| Construction BTEC Award - Level 1 Diploma |
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Go |
| Construction BTEC Award - Level 2 Certificate |
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| Construction BTEC Award - Level 2 Diploma |
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| Diploma - Society Health & Development - Level 1 |
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Go |
| Diploma - Society Health & Development - Level 2 |
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Go |
| Diploma - Society Health & Development - Level 3 |
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Go |
| Electronics Engineering BTEC Award - Level 2 - Diploma |
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| Employability Skills - BTEC Award - Level 2 - Young Apprenticeship Programme - Short course |
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| Engineering BTEC Award - Level 1 Certificate |
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| Engineering BTEC Award - Level 1 Diploma |
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| Institute of Motor Vehicle Level 1 & 2 |
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Go |
| Retail BTEC Award - Level 2 - Diploma |
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| Retail BTEC Award - Level 2 - Certificate |
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| Vocational Studies - BTEC Award - Level 1- Certificate |
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| Vocational Studies - BTEC Award - Level 1- Diploma |
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Vocational Learning - Regional resources
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