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DiplomasMedia briefing: Diplomas
Date: 23.10.08
General Secretary Philip Parkin said: "Voice welcomed the concept of Diplomas. However, we do have a number of concerns."
Diplomas
Briefing to SecEd
General Secretary Philip Parkin said: "Voice welcomed the concept of Diplomas because, potentially, they should break down the barriers between academic and vocational, and between schools and further education, and enable a broader and more flexible curriculum with increased options for young people.
"However, we do have a number of concerns. At our recent Annual Conference, members backed a motion that the plethora of qualifications open to secondary pupils was ‘confusing and bewildering to students, teachers and employers’. The proposer of the motion, Simon Smith, urged Conference to consider the purpose served by qualifications – to provide a level of training and skill and to provide a judgement on the level of a person’s ability – and pointed out that this was difficult for employers and others when a multiplicity of qualifications was available.
He said: ‘As teachers, how do we explain what’s best for pupils? We have recently had the diploma introduced to provide a qualification more suited to modern needs, but it seems to me it’s simply becoming an addition to what’s already on offer. One employer said it was almost a gamble taking on people based on their qualifications, as they just didn’t understand any longer what they all actually meant or what they were worth.’
"Will students be able to access easily the full range of diplomas, particularly in rural areas, as it seems that each institution will not be expected to teach all 17 Diplomas?
"Members are telling us that they feel under-prepared and under-trained for the Diplomas and had too little time to introduce them, because the groundwork of preparation, training and detail was inadequate.
"Clearly the Government has much work to do in getting the message about Diplomas across to schools, colleges, students, parents and employers. We will be taking a full and active part in the communications strategy with the education workforce."
ends
SecEd ’Delivering Diplomas’ supplement, 23 October 2008 (pdf)
www.voicetheunion.org.uk/14-19
philipparkin@voicetheunion.org.uk
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