A quiz for you

How much extra money does the average Diploma studnets earn for the institution?

Which Diploma has the most additional grant money?

Answers in a few days!

That sounds like a good idea

This may be a controversial statement, but I am certain that it is true.  Schools focus on borderline students giving them extra resources which by definition is to the detriment of low (and indeed high) achievers becuase it's the borderline student that gets a C rather than D that makes a big difference to the league table positions.

The TES says this week that the Lib Dems would replace league tables based on 5+A*-C passes with an average points system.  Now without making any pol;itical statement, that sounds like quite a good idea to me - it would mean that increasing the students from a G to an F counts the same as D to C and A to A*.

Jonathan

BTW - The just giving gadget is for my daughter Abigail

She's doing the race for life so if you can support her, then feel free.

Confusing Diplomas Part 2

There's a big push on Apprentices going on. I've seen the TV ad with "SURALAN" and today we had a visitor at out offices from a training provider telling us how easy it is to get a modern apprentice for the office and it only costs something like £16 a day or was that a week - can't remember.

Now I'm quite a big believer in workplace experience, I did a sandwich course and it meant that when I graduated I started work the next day because of that experience.

But from a professional marketing point of view I'm still really worried about mixed messages and the Apprentice ads following the Diploma ads so closely.

The older generation (I count myself in there) are still the gateway to employment and I do believe that this generation definitely knows about A levels, certainly knows about apprenticeships and still is finding it difficult to categorise Diplomas and by categorise, I mean build a perception with the employers.

They should ask me to help them!

Confusing the Diploma

For those of us who have been involved with the Diploma from the outset, the comments in the Daily Mail about how the Diploma is positioned in the minds of the students is no surprise.

in brief it says that students start the Diploma and then find out it's different to what was expected.  Many institutions are not promoting it all that well (Newcastle College don't even mention it in their prospectus sent to Y11) and parents don't know whether it's academic or vocational.

A plea to those leading the marketing - get off the fence and say who the diploma is aimed at please.  If it is vocational say so but please don't presented it's something it isn't!

Lots of Press about Skills for Life

Now, we know that  Functional Skills will be Incorporated into the Foundation Learning tier which is expected to replace existing basic Skills/Skills for Life provision.  precise details are not yet published but I thought it was very interesting that there was masses of coverage about the progress that Skills for Life had made in 5 years.

Some good, some bad.  

I may have a very slightly wary attitude of political announcements, but I get the feeling that the press coverage yesterday is the forerunner of the FLT changes.

You heard it here first!

Diploma now uber trendy

How do I know that?  Well, my daughters are teenagers and as such they know their TV programmes.  Hollyoaks around tea time, Lost when it returns but above all Skins which is definitely post watershed viewing.

And the new series returned last night and guess what - the characters are preparing to start the Hair and Beauty Diploma at College - so there you go - the diploma has made cutting edge TV drama!

Just thought you'd like to know - I suspect this mention will be more important than all the DCSF Youtube videos they could ever possibly put up!

jonathan