Diploma (14-19)
Additional and Specialist Learning in Diplomas
ABC Awards is a Component Awarding Body for the new Diplomas for 14 -19 year olds that can be taken at School or College. This means that ABC Awards offers a range of qualifications which can be used as Additional and Specialist Learning to enhance the Diploma experience for learners
What are Diplomas?
Fourteen Diploma subjects or lines of learning (LoL) will be available from September 2010:
- Business, Administration and Finance
- Construction and the Built Environment
- Creative and Media
- Engineering
- Environmental and Land-based Studies
- Hair and Beauty Studies
- Hospitality
- Information Technology
- Manufacturing and Product Design
- Public Services
- Retail Business
- Society, Health and Development
- Sport and Active Leisure
- Travel and Tourism
More Diploma subjects are being developed and will be available in the future. See www.direct.gov.uk/diplomas for more details.
Each Diploma is made up of three components
- Principal Learning which develops and applies skills and knowledge specific to a particular line of learning
- Generic Learning which develops the broad skills and knowledge for learning , employment and personal development, including Functional Skills in English, Mathematics and ICT
- Additional and Specialist Learning (ASL) which is made up of a wide variety of qualifications. These can provide greater depth of study relating to a particular line of learning (Specialist Learning), or broaden study for learners (Additional Learning).
Project
A project is a discrete element of the Diploma. A level 1 or 2 qualification involving a single piece of work that requires a high degree of planning, preparation, research and independent working. Learners explore in depth a topic based on their own interests and aspirations. The project is completed as part of a Foundation or Higher Diploma. An extended project is completed as part of the Advanced or Progression Diploma.
Diplomas are designed to be as flexible as possible. ASL has a crucial role to play in providing opportunities for Diplomas to be tailored to the needs and aspirations of individual learners. Much of the Specialist Learning available has been written for specific diplomas in consultation with the sectors in which the Diplomas sit.
How do I find out about what ASL is on offer?
The qualifications which are approved as ASL are updated at a number of points in the year. An updated list of all qualifications available for each line of learning and for each level of Diploma is available on the National Database of Accredited Qualifications (NDAQ). On their website, you can browse the lists of qualifications in the Diploma catalogue, which identifies each Awarding Body offering specific qualifications and identifies them as Specialist Learning if appropriate.
Centres will need to make decisions about which qualifications will meet the needs of their learners to maximise individual learner Diploma experience and provide practical progression routes for all learners. Examples of the use of ASL within Diplomas can be found in the Flexibility in Diploma Programmes document on ABC’s website. The validity of qualifications chosen for ASL can be checked using the Diploma Validator.
How do I find out what ABC Awards has on offer as ASL?
We have a list of qualifications approved as ASL on our website, which gives information about the level and line of learning for which they are appropriate. For more detailed information about a specific qualification, go to the home page of the ABC Awards website and select the correct sector relating the qualification you are interested in, and you will find information about each particular qualification in the form of information sheets, specifications and more.
If you wish to speak to someone generally about what ABC Awards has on offer, contact one of our Business Development Managers.
If you wish to speak to someone about a specific qualification, contact the administrator for the qualification from the list provided.
2010 Diploma Awarding
Over the coming months, QCDA will be running a Diploma Awarding Readiness Support activity. QCDA Centre Support are arranging for a field officer to visit all centres with Diploma learners to help them identify the administrative tasks and actions they need to complete to ensure timely awarding of Diplomas in August. The visits will involve exams officers and senior leadership representatives (where available) and the results of the visit will generate detailed guidance and a report outlining the next steps for the centre. Separately, consortium leads and other workforce partners will be asked to work with centresto secure action that is needed and to coordinate support where necessary.
QCDA and DCSF have written to all centres and consortia to outline this process and the support, information and guidance that is available. The mailing included a step-by-step leaflet, produced in collaboration with Diploma awarding bodies, drawing attention to key areas of administration and also support that is available, such as:
- A new QCDA Diploma helpdesk facility to support centres
- A series of monthly auto alerts reminding exams officers of the key administrative tasks and deadlines
- A new Summer Diplomas Awarding workbook, which will be available this month
- A Summer 2010 Diploma Awarding webpage which will be populated with information and resources as we move towards the summer: www.qcda.gov.uk/27184.aspx Posted 23.2.10
Please Note -
Centres delivering ABC Awards qualifications as a component of the Diploma must claim certification for these qualifications no later than the 31st of July. Any claims after this date may miss the deadline for Diploma aggregation.
More Information
For more information on the Diploma and ASL, visit the following websites
NDAQ - www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk
QCDA - www.qcda.gov.uk
UCAS - www.ucas.ac.uk
Diploma Support Programme – www.diploma-support.org
Department for Children, Schools and Families Diploma website – www.direct.gov.uk/diplomas
Department for Children, Schools and Families 14-19 website (Diploma communications section) – www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19
The Diploma Validator
The Diploma Validator is a web-based tool which is accessible from the Diploma pages of the QCDA website at www.qcda.gov.uk/diplomavalidator. The tool helps staff in centres to validate programmes of study for their Diploma students.
Diploma Validator Factsheet for Consortium Advisers and Practitioner Trainers
QCA Flexibility in Diploma ProgrammesPosted 12.1.10
Additional & Specialist Learning (ASL)
As a Component Awarding Body (CAB) for Diplomas, ABC Awards has a number of qualifications identified as Additional / Specialist Learning (ASL).
ASL - Qualifications that learners choose to include in their Diploma that are complementary or specialised in character. Additional and Specialist Learning must provide high-quality breadth and / or depth of curriculum experience, without duplication of principal learning and be based on a solid evidence-base of progression opportunities for learners who want to progress into immediate employment with training, or full time further and / or higher education.
(www.qca.org.uk/qca_13474.aspx)
ABC Qualifications Qualifying as ASL
This listing indicates which ABC qualifications qualify as Additional or Specialist Learning for each Diploma.
Check back regularly for updates to this document. Updated 27.10.09
Support Documents
- The role of centres in Diploma administration
- The role of Learning Registration Service in Diploma administration
- The role of QCA in Diploma administration
- The role of Diploma Awarding Bodies in Diploma administration
- The role of Component Awarding Bodies in Diploma administration Posted 4.6.09
Prior Achievement Form
Prior Achievement Form (Excel Version)
Use this form to request that a qualification achieved before a learner account is opened, be recorded in a learner account.
This form allows for an application for one learner with up to two previously achieved qualifications.
This form should be submitted as soon as the learner account is opened. Requests should be made no later than 30 April of the first year of Diploma study. If all the mandatory information is accurate, allow ten working days for prior achievement to be recorded in the learner account.
Qualifications achieved before 1 January 2005 cannot be considered as prior achievement. Posted 11.1.10
Links
Other useful links regarding Diplomas -
www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/index.cfm Updated 17.3.09
