The Diploma
Canterbury College will be offering the New Diplomas - the Creative and Media Diploma and the Environmental and Land-based Studies Diploma from September 2009, and has put together information for parents and pupils considering taking the new diploma qualification ahead of its launch.
There are three levels available to study - foundation, higher and advanced. The qualifications do not replace existing learning options and students can still do GCSEs, A Levels and Apprenticeships alongside a Diploma course.
What is the New Diploma?
The Diploma is a new nationwide qualification for 14-19 year olds to exist alongside A/AS levels and BTEC National Diplomas. It’s part of a national programme to provide young people with more options, and to encourage them to continue learning for longer.
You may have heard about them already, perhaps you or your son or daughter is thinking of taking one or is about to start the course. Either way, it’s important that you get all the facts too; so you can help your child make the right choices and decisions about their future.
We have compiled this page as essential information about Diplomas.
When do the New Diplomas start?
Canterbury College will be starting with the Diploma in Creative & Media and the Environmental and Land-based Studies Diploma in September 2009.
There are a number of other Diplomas offered in the local area in different subjects. Canterbury College is a member of the Canterbury 14-19 Partnership.
You can find out which schools and colleges are offering Diploma courses through your local 14 to 19 prospectus. Your child can talk to teachers, careers advisors or Connexions staff, and you can also find out more on the parents section of the Directgov website.
What are Diplomas worth?
A Foundation Diploma is the same as 5 GCSEs at grades D - G The Higher Diploma is the same as 7 GCSEs at grades A* - C The Advanced Diploma is the same as 3.5 A levels
A Progression Diploma is also available, equivalent to 2.5 A levels An Extended Diploma will be available in 2011, containing extra maths, English and Additional and Specialist Learning
At the end, your child will get a student transcript listing out all the qualifications they’ve achieved on their Diploma course. So they won’t just get a Diploma in the subject area they chose, like Engineering or Hospitality - all the individual qualifications that make it up are included.
What’s important is that doing a Diploma won’t limit any future options for your child. With this qualification, they could stay at school, go on to college, do a degree at university, start a career or do an Apprenticeship.
What’s different?
The Diploma will help your child develop work-relevant skills, as well as English, maths and ICT, in a creative and enjoyable way. It will appeal to students who like practical subjects, problem solving and applying what they learn to real situations.
The new Diploma is flexible, so students get more choice about what they learn. They’ll develop a deeper knowledge of their main subject area, like Creative and Media or Information Technology, plus they’ll get to broaden their study with other courses. These can be related to the main subject area, to do with a hobby, future ambitions to study at university or a career.
It’s important to note that the new Diploma does not replace GCSEs or A levels. At Key Stage 4, your child will take GCSEs alongside the Diploma and post-16 they could take additional A levels as well.
What’s important is that the Diploma does not restrict future options - it will help your child make decisions about what they want to do next. Foundation and Higher Diploma students can go on to study for the next level of Diploma, take a different type of qualification such as GCSE, A level or Apprenticeship, or go on to a job with training. An Advanced Diploma can lead on to university or into a career.
The benefits of a Diploma
Students study by relating what they’re learning to real world situations. It means doing lots of projects and applying what they know to solve practical, work-related problems as well as organising themselves to complete a task. Because students have to cover theory as well as practical skills, they will keep their options open for the future. With both theory and practical learning, any route is possible when they finish - further study, or a job with training.
That’s what makes the new Diploma different. It gives students the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to go on to employment, college or university - not one or the other.
Both employers and universities have helped design the Diploma. This is to ensure young people have all the skills they need (universities see the Advanced Diploma as broadly equivalent to three A levels) whatever they decide to do next.
- The new Diplomas combine theoretical class work with practical experience
- Students will be based at their school or college, but may have the chance to do part of their learning in other schools, colleges and the workplace
- It will help your child make decisions about what they want to do next, without restricting their options
- They’ll have the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to go on to employment, college or university
- They will also gain transferable skills that any employer, in any sector, will value
For further information on studying the new diploma please call the Student Information Centre on 01227 811188.
This page provides information on the new diplomas also referred to as new 14-19 Diplomas and The New Diploma.
