Evaluation of the Implementation and Impact of the Diplomas: Cohort 3 Report - Findings from the 2010 consortium lead and pupil surveys

Gill Featherstone, Sarah Lynch, Clare Southcott

30 June 2011

Available to download from the DfE website

The purpose of the national evaluation is to provide policy makers and practitioners with systematic and robust evidence which will enable them to make informed judgements about the outcomes of the Diplomas for different stakeholders and to make improvements to design and delivery, if appropriate.

The overall research design for the evaluation provides a complementary mixed-method approach to address the complex range of issues and aims associated with the implementation of the Diplomas. The study has three main strands: surveys of a range of stakeholders (including consortium leads, learners, teaching staff, parents, employers and Higher Education Institutions; a longitudinal programme of qualitative case studies; and statistical analysis of external datasets.

This report presents the findings from a telephone survey conducted with 224 Consortium Leads of consortia that were approved to commence delivering Diplomas, or approved to deliver additional subjects, from September 2010. The interviews with Consortium Leads were conducted in November and December 2009 with the primary aim of identifying key features of consortia to enable a sample to be identified for the subsequent surveys and case-study visits. The survey gathered evidence on the consortia’s preparation and planning for Diploma delivery from September 2010. While some consortia were planning for delivery for the first time from 2010, others had previous experience of delivery from 2008 or 2009.

The report also includes findings from a survey of 741 Year 9 and 556 Year 11 pupils. The pupil surveys were carried out between March and May 2010 and explored young people’s choice to take a Diploma, or not, from September 2010, and the Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) in place to support decision-making.

The national evaluation of diplomas

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