Diplomas
What is a Diploma?
Diplomas are multi-component qualifications themed around an industry sector (known as a ‘line of learning’) which have been designed as an alternative to traditional GCSEs and A levels. The Diploma uniquely combines essential skills and knowledge, hands-on experience and employer-based learning, to prepare a young person for work or further study.
Diplomas offer a mix of theoretical and practical learning, including functional English, mathematics and ICT, and the opportunity to develop a specialism or undertake complementary study.
NCFE’s involvement in the Diploma
NCFE is approved as both a Diploma Awarding Body (DAB) and a Component Awarding Body (CAB) in the first lines of learning for the Diplomas:
- creative and media
- construction and the built environment
- engineering
- information technology
- society, health and development.
Teaching of these Diplomas begins in September 2008. At the moment, we’re only using our CAB status offering Additional and Specialist learning (ASL).
What is Additional and Specialist Learning?
ASL is one of the components of the Diplomas. Its purpose is to offer an opportunity for a learner to study a particular topic in more depth or broaden their studies in other areas. A large proportion of our existing portfolio is included in the ASL catalogue across all lines of learning. We also have a number of qualifications approved as specialist learning for the Creative and Media Diploma. You can check which of our qualifications are approved for each line in the Diploma Catalogues.
Accessing the Diploma catalogues
The catalogues are managed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and are currently updated every 3 months.
The full catalogues are available to everyone on QCA’s National Database of Accredited Qualifications (NDAQ) at: http://www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk/DiplomaCatalogueSelection.aspx
To find each catalogue you’ll need to:
- click on the line of learning
- click on the level of the Diploma
- scroll to ‘Qualification Structure’ and at the bottom there’s a link through to the ASL catalogue for the chosen Diploma
What Next?
We’ve also been approved as a CAB to offer ASL in all phase 2 lines of learning (first teaching will begin in September 2009):
- business, administration and finance
- environmental and land-based studies
- hair and beauty studies
- hospitality
- manufacturing and product design
We’ll update this page as work on phase 2 progresses.
Useful Links
QCA Factsheet: ‘What is a Diploma?’
DCSF Factsheet: ‘The Diploma – What all Teachers Need to Know’
For more information contact the Research and Product Development team at NCFE on 0191 239 8000 or email info@ncfe.org.uk
Page author Donna McEwan donnamcewan@ncfe.org.uk April 08
