About the 14-19 Diploma
What is the Diploma?
- A new qualification that combines theoretical study with practical/work experience
- Students are often taught within a consortium, or group of schools and colleges, rather than at one institution
- Diplomas require achievement to a minimum standard in English, Maths and ICT, an extended project and completion of a minimum of 10 days' work experience
- Students can still take other qualifications (e.g. A-levels) as part of their Diploma
Diploma subject lines are being phased in over the next 3 years.
2008: ICT; Engineering; Society, Health & Development; Creative & Media; Construction and the Built Environment. (1st entry to HE 2010)
2009: Environmental & Land-based; Manufacturing; Hair & Beauty Studies; Business Administration & Finance; Hospitality. (1st entry to HE 2011)
2010: Public Services, Sport and Leisure, Retail, Travel & Tourism. (1st entry to HE 2012)
There are several components to the diploma framework, all of which must be passed for the student to be awarded the Diploma:
- Functional skills: students must demonstrate a functional level of ICT, Maths and literacy skills
- Principal learning: subject specialist learning which represents 720 guided learning hours
- Extended project: this can take the form of a dissertation or investigation of 5,000 words, or an artifact or field study and 1,500 essay or equivalent
- Additional specialist learning (advanced level): equivalent in size to one A-level. These may be specialist units, taken from other qualifications (e.g. BTECs) or discrete qualifications (e.g. an A-level in a related subject)
- Work experience: 10 days
- Personal learning and thinking skills: assessed by the school or college
For more information please visit the Department for Education web pages.