14-19 Education and Skills HE Newsletter - Issue 4, Spring Term 2008

Contents

• Introduction
• 14-19 Announcements affecting HE
  • UCAS tariff
  • Gateway 2 figures
  • Extended Diploma
  • 14-19 Qualifications Strategy
• General Interest
  • Recent research into HE attitudes
  • Diploma assessment
  • Internal assessment of the Diploma
  • New information for HE
  • Examples of Extended Projects
• Case Studies of HE involvement
  • The Diploma in Retail
  • Closing the Gap: An engagement model for Higher Education in the design and delivery of Diplomas

INTRODUCTION

This Newsletter for Higher Education provides a regular means of keeping up to date on the progress of the 14-19 educational reform programme. It is primarily available electronically and to ensure you and your colleagues receive a copy please subscribe on-line via the HE section of the 14-19 Website.

14-19 ANNOUNCEMENTS AFFECTING HIGHER EDUCATION

UCAS tariff

The UCAS tariff score for the first five Diplomas was announced on 18 December. The Advanced Diploma will be awarded a maximum 420 tariff points, the same number as awarded for 3.5 A levels. Full details of this can be found on the UCAS website.

Over 65 HE institutions have now provided statements on the UCAS website on their acceptability of Diplomas with some already providing information at course level. These will prove very helpful to schools and colleges, students and parents in Year 11 who are currently making their choices for this coming September.

Gateway 2 Figures

An announcement of all the Consortia approved to teach new Diploma lines from 2009 was made on 19 March. 79 universities are involved with the successful consortia. The press notice can be found on the DCSF website and further details of the results on the 'Diploma Implementation' section of the 14-19 website.

From September 2009 Diplomas will be taught in 10 subjects: Creative and Media; Construction and the Built Environment; Engineering; Information Technology; Society, Health and Development; Environmental and Land-based Studies; Manufacturing and Product Design; Hair & Beauty Studies; Business, Administration and Finance; and Hospitality.

The vast majority of schools and colleges in England will offer the Diploma from September 2009. Around three quarters of secondary schools and 88% of colleges will be involved in consortia teaching Diplomas by 2009, through Gateway 1 or 2.

317 consortia in 136 Local Authorities have been approved to deliver form 2009. These successful consortia are estimating that there will be 94000 learner places across the 10 Diplomas from September 2009. This is in addition to those consortia approved to teach Diplomas from this September.

The Extended Diploma

On 7 March, the Secretary of State, Ed Balls announced the expansion of the 14-19 Diploma programme to include an Extended Diploma.

Figures show that some 62,000 16-18 year olds (about 25% of the cohort) take programmes of study that are equivalent to 4 or more A levels. The Extended Diploma allows for young people to undertake a larger programme of study within the Diploma framework as well as alongside it. The Extended Diploma will be introduced from 2011 across all 17 Diploma lines at Foundation, Higher and Advanced level. At Advanced level, the Extended Diploma is expected to be broadly equivalent to 4.5 A levels. Performance Table and UCAS tariff points will be determined once the qualification is fully developed.

The components of the Extended Diploma will be the same as for all other Diplomas, Principal Learning, Generic Learning and Additional and Specialist Learning. There will also be a project and work experience.

At Advanced level, the Extended Diploma will require achievement of mathematics or English at Level 3, and will have an extra block of Additional and Specialist Learning (equivalent in size to an AS level). It should also offer the opportunity for students to learn at a higher level (for example by taking units at Level 4) where appropriate. We will work with Higher Education and Awarding Bodies to explore how this can best be achieved.

14-19 Qualifications Strategy

The Qualifications Strategy Consultation Paper will be launched on the 31 March, taking forward the White Paper proposals, the strategy is designed to ensure that all young people have access to routes that meet their interests and needs and allow them to progress onto skilled employment or further or higher education. The strategy proposes a more comprehensive and coherent qualification through 3 clearly defined routes: GCSEs and A levels, Diplomas and Apprenticeships (plus the Foundation Learning Tier). All of which will have clear onward progression routes. The strategy has significant potential to widen access and improve participation in HE. HE colleagues are encouraged to respond to the consultation.

GENERAL INTEREST

Recent research into HE attitudes

Research projects to understand the attitudes of higher education to the Advanced Diplomas, A* and Extended Project qualifications have recently reported. The project carried out by the 1994 Group of Universities found that 62% of admissions tutors in relevant undergraduate areas in their universities felt that it was very likely, quite likely or possible that they would be admitting Advanced Diploma students to undergraduate programmes from 2010.
The extended project was widely welcomed, as was the A* grade in providing another means of differentiation between well qualified applicants for highly selective courses. The report 'New Foundations, Enduring Values: Undergraduate education, research-intensive universities and the government's 14-19 reforms' is available from the 1994 Group website

Diploma assessment

The Diploma has three components:

Experiential learning, planning and reviewing are central to the Diploma and a minimum of 50% of the Principal Learning component must be applied learning i.e. the application of knowledge and skills through tasks, problems and situations that are related to work in that sector.

Assessment of Principal Learning
For the Principal Learning component, assessment will be a combination of controlled internal assessment and external assessment. At level 3 - 120 or 180 guided learning hours (out of 540) are externally assessed.

Assessment of Generic Learning
The elements of Generic Learning are assessed as follows:

• Functional Skills will form part of GCSEs in English, mathematics and ICT, Diplomas and apprenticeships. They will also be available as stand-alone qualifications. Functional skills assessments will be task-based, there is no portfolio-based assessment analogous to key skills. A range of approaches are being piloted including entirely externally set and assessed.
• Personal Learning and Thinking Skills will not be separately assessed as part of the Diploma. Instead, all six personal, learning and thinking skills will be integrated into the assessment criteria for principal learning. Each learner's achievement of personal, learning and thinking skills will be recorded in the Diploma transcript.
• The Extended Project is a standalone, single-unit qualification that is internally assessed using awarding body mark scheme. When the project is taken as part of the Diploma it will contribute to the overall Diploma grade.
• Work experience, each learner at each level of the Diploma must do at least 10 days of work experience. Work experience will not be assessed but will be reported on the Diploma transcript.

Assessment of Additional and Specialist Learning - Assessment arrangements for existing qualifications which contribute to Additional and Specialist Learning continue to apply.

Feedback from HE has indicated that the approach to assessment which is being introduced in Diplomas is similar that already used and accepted in HE.

Internal assessment of the Diploma

The National Assessment Agency (NAA) has been commissioned to develop a national approach which will help ensure high standards across the internal assessment elements of the Diploma.

This includes defining 2 key roles, Domain Assessors and Lead Assessors that will support internal assessment at the local level.

Domain Assessors - to ensure that all internal assessments for a Diploma line are fit for purpose and are assessed to the appropriate standards required by the awarding bodies. The role could be taken on by a subject leader or head of faculty operating across the consortium.

Lead Assessor - to quality assure the processes associated with internal assessment at the consortium level across all Diploma lines.

Individual consortium will determine the how these roles are implemented at local level. NAA are currently working up some delivery models, and a good practice guide setting out the Assessors roles and responsibilities and examples of good practice will be available in May 2008.

New information for HE

New information leaflets designed specifically for HE and for use within their own institutions have been produced. A series of leaflets on the Phase 1 Diplomas which will be taught from this September are now available from the 14-19 website as is an updated Timeline for HE which gives information on when developments will take place and what actions HE should be taking.

Once the Diploma specifications for the Phase 2 Diplomas are available (in September) information leaflets on these Advanced Diplomas will be produced for HE.

Other materials that may also be useful, especially if involved in joint events with Connexions, AimHigher or schools and colleges include a DVD aimed at parents specifically about the reaction of HE to the reforms. This can be downloaded or viewed from the 'Explore more' section of the 14-19 website.

Examples of Extended Projects

Examples of Extended Projects are available on the HE section of the 14-19 website.

The set of examples have been prepared to introduce the new specification for an Extended Project at Level 3 - available to centres from September 2008. The samples cover a range of both topic and standard. They have been drawn from work presented in Cohort 2 of the Extended Project pilot, November 2007.

Each sample commences with the candidate's production log. This log records in outline the 'project journey' made by the student and includes evidence of project approval and presentation. The log is followed by the project report - a long written report, or evidence of other product / artefact together with a shorter written report.

CASE STUDIES OF HE INVOLVEMENT

The Diploma in Retail - Cathy Hart, Loughborough University

The Diploma presents a valuable opportunity to disseminate new subject areas into the school curriculum. When the Diploma in Retail is introduced in 2010, retail will be taught for the first time as an academic subject in schools, a valuable opportunity to disseminate a new subject area into the school curriculum. Many HE retail academics feel this is well overdue.

The theory and science of retail has been extensively researched and developed over the last century. It was originally introduced as an HE academic discipline in 1984 and currently 26 HE institutions offer retail related degree programmes. While the retail sector is the largest private sector employer of the UK economy and one of the most competitive and dynamic, it also suffers from a number of skills gaps. The poor image of retail as a destination career has undoubtedly contributed to this.

The development of the Diploma in Retail is gathering momentum. It has been encouraging seeing a wide range of stakeholders including employers, schools, colleges, universities, training providers, awarding bodies and government bodies all involved from the design stage through the various consultation events during 2007. A key challenge has been to develop the right balance of width and depth across the academic, subject related and specialist subjects; the next challenge will be achieving rigour and quality in delivery to ensure the qualification is credible. At the very least, the Diploma will deliver the retail learning, knowledge and skills outcomes while conveying the variety of interesting careers in retail. Ultimately it is capable of changing the perception of retail into a profession and a destination career.

Cathy Hart is Senior Lecturer and Programme Director, Retail Management at Loughborough University. She is Chair of the Consortium of Retail Universities and HE Representative on the Steering Group for the Diploma in Retail.

Closing the Gap: An engagement model for Higher Education

Partnership working between diploma deliverers and HEIs is crucial if diplomas are to represent routes to HE and be an option for all learners. This project supported by London Central LSC will produce a possible model of such partnership working which can be used to support the development & delivery of diplomas in other subject areas across London. It will draw on the work of the Aimhigher Central London Partnership in constructing and maintaining cross-sector partnership working in this area, and in facilitating HEI engagement at 14-19 level. The project will examine the development and forthcoming delivery of the Society, Health & Development Diploma in Islington and Wandsworth.

The project will:

• map existing links between HEIs and deliverers in the pilot areas and to explore the extent and nature of dialogue between HEIs and deliverers
• facilitate such a dialogue where necessary.
• produce a report outlining how dialogue can be encouraged, the key issues for different partners and potential interventions for learners that map progression onto diplomas and through to HE.
• pilot such a learner progression intervention & deliver a seminar for stakeholders in London to showcase the project findings.

If you want to learn more about this project, how to get involved and details of the project seminar in Spring 2008 please contact Dr. Graeme Atherton, Aimhigher CLP Manager on athertg@wmin.ac.uk