Introducing the new 14-19 Diplomas in IT and Creative & Media
The new 14-19 Diplomas have been called the most significant educational reform since the introduction of GCSEs and young people in Yorkshire and Humber will be amongst the first to try the new courses from September 2008.
The aim of the Diplomas is to give young people a fully rounded qualification, combining academic study with practical experience of employment sectors alongside functional English, Maths and ICT. The new qualifications are designed to provide a real alternative to traditional GCSEs and A-Levels and offer preparation for both academic and vocational progression routes.
Diplomas will be available as a national entitlement from 2013 but five subject options are available from September 2008, including the IT and Creative & Media Diplomas. A number of Yorkshire and Humber local authorities put forward successful proposals to be amongst the first nationwide to deliver these Diplomas. They include Hull and Sheffield for the IT Diploma, and Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, North Yorkshire and Sheffield for the Creative & Media Diploma.
Already, consortia in each of these areas are starting to develop best practice models of collaboration as well as innovative ideas for maximising expertise. Digital 2010 has supported the consortia by hosting regional meetings of key consortia partners to share ideas and hear from national representatives on policy and award developments.
The consortia are bringing together local authorities, schools, employers, colleges and universities. Employers were instrumental in the design of the Diplomas at national level and are being asked to play a key role at local level. In the South Bradford Consortium, the employers’ forum is up and running.
Julia Wright, director of teaching and learning at Dixons City Academy and spokesperson for the South Bradford Consortium says, “Diplomas will only really be successful with true employer engagement. This means more than work experience - what is required is a real element of applied learning. Employers need to be involved in developing curriculum models and participating in other ways. We have a fully functioning engagement forum and lots of employers are on board.”
She adds, “This is the most exciting educational reform for years. The young people of South Bradford will gain from it, particularly because it brings parity to applied and academic studies. It will help us to meet the skills needs of the economy well into the future.”
The various Yorkshire & Humber consortia are exploring new ways of working with employers and across institutions. For example, the Sheffield consortia are looking at Personal Work Experience, Biz Days & Master Classes, Visiting Practitioners and Virtual Classroom Multicasts.
The South Bradford Consortium is looking at a smart technology solution to aid collaboration, with ways of sharing resources, good practice and employer engagement opportunities across a shared virtual learning environment (VLE).
Caron Wright is Chair of the IT Diploma Development Group, Hull 14-19 Partnership.
Caron says, "One of the key elements of bringing in the Diplomas for the Hull 14-19 Consortium has been based on collaboration with partners. This has involved schools, colleges, training providers and employers all working together to produce qualifications and skills that are required for young people and industry in the future.”
Julia Wright agrees about the importance of collaboration. She adds, “We have been forced to collaborate and without collaboration this will not work in the future. As a result we have forged massive links between educational organisations. We had a good history of collaboration but we have been collaborating in new ways as a result of the Diplomas.”
Contact details:
Caron Wright
Hull 14-19 Partnership
Brunswick House
Strand Close
Hull
HU2 9DB
E: cwright@hull-college.ac.uk
Julia Wright
Dixons City Academy
Ripley Street
Bradford
BD5 7RR
