The Diploma is a new qualification that you can do at school or college. There are up to 10 subjects to choose from in September 2009 in different areas of the country, and by 2011, there will be 17 subjects in total.
The Diploma is different to GCSEs and A levels because:
- You'll get practical experience
- You also learn outside the classroom
- You'll find out about an area of work you're interested in
You can keep all your options open with the Diploma. So when you finish, you can stay at school or college and do another course – like the next level up Diploma, A levels or an NVQ. Or, go on to university, do an Apprenticeship or go into a job with training.
For further info, go to - http://yp.direct.gov.uk/diplomas/