Diploma course branded a flop

THE Government’s flagship diploma qualification has been branded a flop with only 75 pupils across Oldham enrolling.

The diplomas provide an alternative to GCSEs and A-levels and have been welcomed by business leaders, who argued that young people need to be taught vocational skills.

Just 12,000 pupils in England began the new qualification in September, less than a quarter of the 50,000 predicted by the Government two years ago, according to figures from the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Diplomas are studied by pupils aged 14 to 19, removing the traditional break between GCSEs and A-levels at 16 which is seen as a period when some youngsters lose interest in education. Diplomas combine practical experience, theoretical knowledge as well as the basics of English, Maths and IT aimed at encouraging more youngsters to stay on in school.

In some parts of the country, education authorities reported fewer than 10 pupils were taking diplomas

Getting the scheme started has cost £65.2 million over the last three years and £128.4 million of funding is available for diplomas this year alone.

It means £10,700 for each of the 12,000 pupils studying the diploma, or including the outlay cost £16,133 per student, the Tories said.

Shadow Children’s Secretary Michael Gove said: “We want vocational diplomas to succeed as a high quality alternative to academic education. But the Government has botched their introduction by generating confusion about what they are all about.”