Learning

Qualifications

The Diploma

Whether you've got a career in mind, hope to go to university or just want to see what's out there, the Diploma is the perfect way to explore your options. It's a new qualification for 14 to 19 year olds and offers a mix of classroom learning and hands-on experience - all designed to prepare you for wherever you want to go in life.

Since September 2008, 14-19 year olds have been able to take the two-year Diploma in a range of subject areas to gain valuable practical and theoretical skills for entering the workplace.

The Diploma can be taken at three different levels (Foundation, Higher and Advanced) and will give you an insight into different careers within your chosen subject area, rather than providing training for a specific job.

Learning Functional skills will help you to develop useful skills in the core areas of English, Maths and ICT, and make up a key part of Diplomas.

By 2010 Functional Skills will become part of the Key Stage 4 Curriculum and GCSEs. The skills you'll learn will be useful for all areas of your working, educational and personal life.

From September 2010, 97% of local authorities will offer some or all of the first 14 Diplomas for you to study.

The development of new Diplomas in science, humanities and languages (which were due to be introduced from September 2011) stopped in June 2010. Stopping 'phase four' - or 'academic' - Diplomas will help refocus efforts on tried and tested qualifications in these subject areas. This development does not affect students who are currently studying or applying for the first 14 Diplomas.

What can I study?

The first five Diplomas, started in over 1,300 schools and colleges in England in September 2008, and cover the following subject areas:

Another five Diplomas were introduced in September 2009 in:

Environmental and Land-based Studies
Business, Administration and Finance
Manufacturing and Product Design
Hospitality
Hair and Beauty Studies.

Then from September 2010 there will be another four Diplomas to choose from:

Travel and Tourism
Public Services
Sport and Active Leisure
Retail Business.

How is the Diploma different?

The Diploma is designed to help you make decisions about your future while keeping all your options open, and you can use it as a stepping stone to higher education, training and employment.

All of the Diplomas are designed to give you a great head-start in whichever industry you choose, by teaching you the theoretical side of things, as well as the practical.

The Diploma route has been designed to offer you the best combination of classroom learning coupled with a fun, creative and practical approach.

In many cases you will also have the chance to study outside the classroom, gaining valuable experience of the workplace, or at other colleges. You'll do this alongside your classroom study; learning the theory behind your chosen subjects so that you get the best of both worlds.

Your Diploma will give you insight into lots of different careers within your chosen sector and so, unlike an Apprenticeship, you don't need to already know exactly what you want to do once you finish studying.

With more emphasis placed on independent study and research skills, you will have the chance to investigate topics for yourself and will have more control over what you learn.

The new Diploma will be a great route into both university and work, and will be recognised as a direct equivalent of GCSEs and A levels.

What else do I need to know?

The Diploma offers young people aged 14-19 the opportunity to combine theoretical and practical skills and is just as good as GCSEs or A levels. But that doesn't mean that you can't do GCSEs and A levels too, because a Diploma combines several qualifications.

You can take GCSEs alongside your Higher Diploma, or A levels as part of your Advanced Diploma course.

The Foundation and Higher Diplomas are available in some areas as an alternative to a full GCSE course, but if you choose this route you are likely to still take some GCSEs including maths and English.

Get a real feel for what Diplomas involve by visiting the Qualifications Explained section on the Directgov website.