The Diploma Support Programme is designed to prepare practitioners to be fully competent and confident to deliver Diplomas in the first ten lines of learning. By September 2009, the following subjects will be available:

  • 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
  • Society, Health and Development

The support programme is delivered on behalf of QIA by a partnership led by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT).

The programme includes a range of professional development training and support to help practitioners prepare for Diploma delivery. It includes both core and optional elements. In addition, each consortium is entitled to three days' bespoke training/consultancy per line of learning, delivered by the Learning and Skills Network (LSN).

The new Diploma Support website, launching in September 2008, will allow practitioners to tailor and manage their own ‘journey' as they prepare for Diploma delivery. Online resources will include downloadable CPD activities, interactive case studies and a planning tool.

Practitioners who are already registered for Excellence Gateway will be able to quickly ‘upgrade' their registration to include Diploma Support, while new users will need to follow a simple registration procedure. Registered users will be able to sign up for email bulletins, join online networks, and track and manage their own professional development.

For more details on the online offer, visit the Diploma support programme website.

Diploma-support.org website survey

The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) leads a partnership on behalf of LSIS (formerly QIA) to deliver the Diploma support programme - preparing practitioners. As part of a suite of training, consultancy and resources available to practitioners LSIS has created the Diploma support programme website. This site will continue to be developed throughout the year and your feedback on the site would be invaluable to aid that development. Please take part in our short survey.

Further information and resources

Useful documents:

For a full overview of the programme of support please see the programme brochure.

Links:

For information relating to the Diploma from the Department for Children Schools and Families go to: www.dcsf.gov.uk.

For information from QCA go to: www.qca.org.uk.

Resources:

Linking NLN Materials into Level 2 Diplomas - Society Health and Development, and Construction and the Built Environment.

Becta has commissioned expert practitioners from the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) Vocational Learning team to select some of the NLN materials for use on the new 14-19 Diplomas. As a result a set of guide templates was produced. Each template maps an NLN resource onto level 2 of the Diploma in Construction or Society Health and Development. Where possible Functional Skills and PLTs links are suggested. Preferred ‘learning styles' are considered and suggestions for use with learners.

Please note you will need to be registered with the NLN website in order to fully engage with the NLN resources.

Download the resources here: