What is the structure of Diploma in Environmental and Land-based Studies?
What is the vision of the Diploma?
What is the Diploma Development Partnership?
What consortia have already been approved to deliver the Diploma in my region?
How can employers become involved?
Will the separate parts of the Diploma count in the AATs even if someone doesn't complete the full Diploma?
Why doesn’t the Foundation and Higher Diplomas attract more performance points post 16 than pre 16?
Does the equivalence of 7 GCSEs for the Higher Diploma include points for Functional Skills or not?
Why is an Advanced Diploma 'worth' more than three A levels, when its published guided learning hours (1,080) remain the same?
What is a Progression Diploma equivalent to?
Yes they will. So a student who achieves their principal learning and project but not their additional and/or specialist learning or functional skills will be awarded AAT points for the principal learning and project and these will count in the AATs.
Similarly, if someone didn't achieve their principal learning and project but did achieve their additional and/or specialist learning, they would achieve points for the additional and/or specialist learning alone.
top of the page
Qualifications at the same level have to be given the same performance points whether they are studied pre- or post-16. Some students might start a qualification pre-16 and complete post-16, for example. So the points awarded to the Foundation and Higher Diplomas will be the same pre- and post-16.
top of the page
No – the equivalence of 7 GCSEs includes points for the Principal Learning and Project and Additional and Specialist Learning only. Functional skills will attract their own performance points as a stand alone qualification - at Level 2 equivalent to 0.5 GCSE A*-C for each functional skill. In the early years of Diploma delivery, when Functional Skills have to be taken as a stand alone qualification, Diploma students will be awarded these points in addition to any performance points for achievement in English and Maths GCSEs. But by 2010 we expect most students taking a Higher Diploma at Key Stage 4 to be achieving their functional skills through English and Maths GCSEs. Functional skills would then be recognised in points for achievement of those GCSEs.
top of the page
The Advanced Diploma's value in terms of both Achievement and Attainment Tables (AAT) and the UCAS tariff is equivalent to 3.5 A levels. Both 'value' decisions recognise that the Diploma – a composite qualification demanding that learners complete a number of components, from subject learning with a minimum 50 per cent applied content, to skills in a variety of disciplines – is an inherently broad, stretching and challenging qualification.
Because the curriculum beyond Key Stage 4 does not include mandatory elements of English, maths, ICT or work-related learning – all hurdles for the achievement of the Advanced Diploma – the AAT points reflect these additional requirements. Taking into account functional skills and work experience requirements results in the Advanced Diploma attracting an AAT points value equivalent to that of 3.5 A levels.
The UCAS tariff assigns a maximum possible 300 points to the principal learning and project components, and 120 points to the additional and/or specialist learning component. The decision was based on meetings of six Expert Groups, featuring representation from academic subject specialists from member institutions (numbering five in the majority of instances,) and examiners for both the Diploma, and in most cases, two benchmark awards.
top of the page
A Progression Diploma comprises two of the three available components of the Diploma at level 3: principal learning and generic learning. It does not require the additional and/or specialist learning component.
In terms of both AAT points and the UCAS tariff, the Progression Diploma is equivalent to 2.5 A levels. It attracts a total possible 300 points under the UCAS tariff, and performance points equivalent to 2.5 A levels.
top of the page