The Diploma phase three gateway process
To ensure that the Diplomas delivered are challenging and of high quality, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has introduced two new processes for implementation.
The first innovation is that it is not expected that any one school or college will be able to deliver any diploma in its entirety. Instead, schools and colleges will be expected to work together as ‘consortia’ of local learning providers. Together, they will have a range of complementary skills and experience in their teaching staff as well as a range of appropriate teaching resources which will be shared across the consortium. A consortium will typically consist of six to 12 organisations, typically several schools, a college and a work-based learning provider.
The consortia bids are rigorously reviewed through the gateway process. This is a three-stage process consisting of an initial independent review against clear and unambiguous criteria.
The bids are then reviewed by a regional panel, which includes representatives from the government office for the region, the independent review team, DCSF and an employer representative. They may query the initial review rating if there are local factors that suggest it should be amended.
The third stage is a final moderation by DCSF.
The gateway bid should include details of how local employers are involved in the design and delivery of the learning programme and how it is intended that they will be encouraged to become more involved. It should explain how the Diploma offer is new, innovative and different from existing provision and what plans are in place to ensure that students and parents are given appropriate information to inform their choices and progression in learning, into higher education and into employment.
Consortia bids will need to be submitted to DCSF in early December 2008, with the first stage of gateway review in January 2009. Regional panels will be in February 2009 and the final moderation process in March 2009. These results should be made public by the end of March 2009.
This gateway announcement means that we will also know which schools and colleges will go forward to offer the diploma in September 2010.
The government is also offering some customised support for consortia, which includes nearly £27m of additional funding for those consortia with successful gateway applications.
