FAQs

1. Do I have to be good at sport to study this Diploma?

   Absolutely not! The Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure is not designed to create superstar athletes, but it would be good to have an interest in the industry to keep you motivated.

2. What if I want to study the Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure this year or next?

   You need to contact your local school or college to find out who will be delivering the Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure which begins teaching for the first time from September 2010.

3. Should I just do a young apprenticeship or apprenticeship?

   Apprenticeships are great if you know exactly what job role you want right now. If you are a little unsure about what particular job role but definitely want to get into the industry then the Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure could be for you.

4. Are there plans to make the Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure available for adult learners (those over 19)?

   Diplomas are qualifications designed with 14-19 year olds in mind. They provide a substantial and broad learning programme which gives young people the knowledge and skills they need for employment, further study and their future lives. Diplomas ensure young people have mastered the basics, have the personal learning and thinking skills essential to employability and further study, and have developed skills and knowledge and the ability to apply them in new and different contexts. Diplomas are not designed to be occupationally specific or prepare learners for particular job roles.
    
   Adult learners would not be barred from taking Diploma qualifications but they should ensure they have taken advice on whether it would be the right programme for them and they should also seek advice from the LSC about the availability of funding post 19 for such a large programme of learning.
    

5. What is the Teacher Development Agencies (TDA) position on Diploma's as entry to Initial Teacher Training (ITT)?

   The TDA don't endorse or prescribe any qualifications for entry on to ITT courses. They only stipulate a minimum of good maths and English GCSEs, and for primary school ITT, a science GCSE. Of course, you need to be a graduate to gain qualified teacher status. Beyond this it's up to ITT providers to decide who to admit to courses. The DDP are in the process of updating our literature on progression pathways to include teaching as a potential career.

6. Have young people been consulted on the content of the Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure?

   Yes, young people have been consulted at various stages over the course of the development of the Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure. The DDP have also produced a myspace page for the Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure which can be found at www.myspace.com/sldiploma.

7. What if my school decides not to offer the diploma I want?

   Although your school or college may not offer the Diploma line of your choice, another consortia in your area may do, in this case you can do a diploma course at a different institute. From 2013 Diplomas become a national entitlement for every young person living in England. So wherever you live, you will be able to access the Diploma line of your choice.

8. My school is offering diplomas as part of a consortia, but that might mean I have to travel. Why can't all schools offer diplomas

   There will be a national entitlement in 2013, where all young people will have to have access to all 17 Diploma lines, however not every school has the expertise or resources needed to teach particular diplomas, so there are likely to be several other schools or colleges in your area, which will be delivering the diploma line of your choice.

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