A science Diploma for 2011

Last autumn the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, announced his decision to have developed Diplomas in among other subjects, science. Education in Chemistry invited Mike Tomlinson, chief adviser for London schools, to explain why he thinks the UK needs a science Diploma.

The three new Diplomas in science, the humanities and languages, together with the 14 Diplomas covering applied and vocational subjects are expected to encompass the whole of the curriculum on offer to 14-19-year olds. The first Diplomas are to be taught from September 2008 with the science one available from 2011. 

Curricula for all

Over the past 30 years there has been almost continuous discussion of, and change to, the curriculum and qualifications. The focus, however, has been largely on qualifications: O-levels, CSEs, GCSEs, CPVEs, NVQs, GNVQs, AS, A2 etc. All of these initiatives were piecemeal changes to the system rather than a serious attempt to consider the curricula needed to meet the needs of all 14-19-year olds in the 21st century.  

It is my contention that an obsession with qualifications (and the more the merrier according to some) and their relative value has avoided facing up to a consideration of the curriculum needed. Further, many of the qualifications have no, or limited, progression routes and are ill-suited to the needs of the 14-19-year old student. This may well be a significant factor in our relatively low staying-on rate at 16 and the disengagement of so many 14-year olds with education.