Curriculum planning for the Diploma Pam Morris consultant

Scoping the Diploma Relationships between: the components of the Diploma the Diploma and the rest of the curriculum the partners delivering the Diploma.

LSN research project On-line survey November responses  34 FE colleges  11 sixth form colleges  46 WBL providers  38 schools  92% in partnerships  Follow-up visits to 22 providers  Consultation workshops

Issues for respondents  Competition between providers:  very significant/ significant - 51%  Management issues :  very significant/ significant - 77%  Ensuring quality control across all providers:  very significant/ significant - 89%

Issues for respondents  Tracking progress:  very significant/ significant -76%  Tracking attendance:  very significant/ significant -68%  Travelling time for students:  very significant/ significant -82%  Travelling costs:  very significant/ significant - 82%

Issues for respondents  Reasons for introducing the Diploma  meet student needs  cater for students who need a different type of learning  motivate learners  provide progression  national policy  Marketing - local and national

Curriculum issues  Nature of Diploma qualification  difference from current qualifications  ‘practicality’/applied learning  generic learning  employability  nature of assessment  Place within curriculum  as addition to current offer  as replacement for other qualification(s)  future of current qualifications  client group and take up

Issues from schematic model size of Diploma at levels 1 and 2 composition of core and extended core specialist status/targets relationship between GCSEs and functional skills nature of generic learning PLTS development across curriculum choice of ASL breadth and balance

Basis of calculations 64-week key stage 4, excluding work experience, focus days, study leave etc. 25-hour teaching week 25% of time for English and maths 10% of time for each option block level 1 Diploma PL and project within 2 options level 2 Diploma PL and project within 3 options ASL in a further option PLTS across curriculum functional skills in GCSEs and within Diploma

Key Stage 4, one-week timetable 30-period week, one-week timetable, 60% core SubjectLessons per week English Maths Science ICT PD Ct PE RE Maths and English might arrange timetables so that, over the key stage, each has 3.5 lessons per week. 4 options3 lessons each

Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5 Core English - 2 Maths – 1 Science - 2 English - 1 Maths – 1 Science 2 RE – 1 PD 1 or GL 1 ICT – 1 Ct - 1 or GL 2 English – 1 Maths - 1 Science – 1 PE - 2 Options Opt A/ASL - 1 Opt B – 2 or Dip level 1/2 Opt C – 1 or Dip level 1 /2 Opt D –2 or Dip level 1 /2 Opt B – 1 or Dip level 1/2 Opt C – 2 or Dip level 1 /2 Opt D –1 or Dip level 1 /2 Opt A/ASL – 1 6 lessons

Subject Lessons/hours per week Lessons/hours per fortnight English Maths Science ICT PD PE RE Citizenship options 2.5 each 5 each Key Stage 4, two-week timetable Two-week timetable, 25 lessons per week, 60% core, 20% science.

Two week timetable Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5 Core English - 1 Maths – 1 PE – 1 (wk 2) Science - 1 Science - 2 Maths – 1 RE – 1 English - 1 PE – 2 (wk 1) ICT – (wk 2) PD – 1 (wk 1) or GL - 1 Dip level 1/2 English – 1 Maths - 1 Science – 2 Ct – 1 (wk 2) Options Opt A/ASL – 1 Opt B – 1 (wk 1) or Dip level 2 Opt A/ASL - 1Opt C - 1 (wk 2) Opt D - 1 (wk 2) or Dip level 1 /2 Opt B – 2 or Dip level 2 Opt D – 2 Opt C - 2 or Dip level 1 /2 Opt A/ASL – 1 (wk 1) 5 lessons

Issues from curriculum models core within 3/4 days size of Diploma at levels 1 and two amount of taught time off site options against Diploma size of blocks position of science/MfL time for PSHEE/citizenship/RE etc coherence of whole

Extending the school day Reasons: to provide extra time for Diploma completion to provide extra time for project completion to match a college/WBL/employer day to keep progression options open to take larger/higher level qualification(s) to enable further specialisation. Issues: compulsory/optional aspects of curriculum equal opportunities staff terms and conditions wider impact on school.

Using Year 9 to introduce Diploma studies Core learningFoundation learningPersonal learning English - 3 Maths - 3 Science - 3 PE - 2 Arts Design and technology Humanities Language PD Citizenship RE Careers ed. Work-related learning ICT Enterprise PLTS Project work Taster courses 11 lessons8 lessons6 lessons

Progression and use of higher level units Diploma in Construction Principal learning Generic learningASL Level 1Units at level of Diploma Functional skills English level 1 Maths level 1 ICT level 2 PLTS WWO level 2 Project level 1 Additional ICT qualification at level 2 Level 2Units at level of Diploma Functional skills English level 2 Maths level 2 PLTS IOLP level 2 Project level 2 Additional ICT qualification at level 3 Level 3Units at level of Diploma PLTS IOLP level 3 Extended Project L 3 Specialised units at level 3 OU module at level 4

Post-16 issues independent information, advice and guidance progression from a range of pre-16 routes size of level 2 Diploma/funding place within curriculum relationship with other routes eg apprenticeship provision of pathways within Diploma provision of ASL progression into and from level 3 use of Progression Qualification need for relevant work experience competition for employer involvement.