Survey results released this week by Teacher Support Network suggest a clear majority of education workers want to see tailored training and more time to meet and prepare for Diplomas.

The survey was run in partnership with sister charity, the College and University Support Network. It was the first full sector survey on the new 14-19 Diplomas, seeking the opinions of all those directly affected by the new qualification in schools, colleges and higher education (HE) institutions.

More than two-thirds of respondents said that delivery of the new 14-19 Diplomas would be improved if staff had more time to prepare for their introduction.

Around seven out of ten felt consortia should be given time to meet and share best practice.

The same proportion felt they saw a need for training which provided knowledge tailored to the new qualification as well as training to develop functional skills, such as working collaboratively with others.

Unlike other qualifications, 14-19 Diplomas offer three elements of learning (principal, generic and specialist), and are delivered by a consortia of schools, colleges, employers and HE institutions. The first Diplomas have already been introduced, and five more are expected to be on offer from September this year. A total of 12 additional Diplomas are set to be introduced in schools within the next three years.

Teacher Support Network Chief Executive, Patrick Nash, said: “The success of 14-19 Diplomas will ultimately be determined by good delivery on the ground. I hope that this valuable feedback from the sector is taken on board, so teachers are equipped with the right time and training as this exciting qualification becomes more popular.”

The video below was recorded at the Higher Education 14-19 Reforms Conference on 9^th December 2008 when we launched our 14-19 Diplomas Survey.

You can view survey responses here.

The following factsheet content may also be useful:

• Overview of the new 14-19 Diploma
• Work-related learning - more information
• How do you deal with change?
• Responding positively to change