Martin Allen TES  letter 18/09/09   I’m no fan of the diplomas, but I do have some sympathy for those teachers and lecturers working hard to deliver them. Rather than being genuine alternatives, the diplomas have ended up being the ‘worst of both worlds’ mimicking the academic qualifications they seek equality of status with … Continue reading The Tories and the Diplomas →

  Martin Allen and Patrick Ainley The Guardian    18/10/08           http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/28/diplomas

                Martin Allen and Patrick Ainley   The Guardian 15/04/08     The government's new strategy for 14-19 follows the peak in numbers of 18-year-olds entering higher education (42.5% in 2005-06), along with those achieving two A-levels (34% in 2006).   Although more than 80% remain in full-time education for … Continue reading Why we need a general diploma accessible to all →

                                                                                                                                                                       Martin Allen                                                                          Post-16 Educator  Nov-Dec 2007     Ed Balls' announcement of 3 new ‘subject based’ diplomas does not represent a fundamental change of heart by the Government. Neither, as Head teachers leader John Dunford correctly observes (TES, 26/10/07), does it constitute a return to the spirit of Tomlinson.     As Balls' announcement … Continue reading Desperate Diplomacy – Ed Balls announces more diplomas →

  Martin Allen    FORUM      Vol 49  No 3   2007 http://www.wwwords.co.uk/forum/content/pdfs/49/issue49_3.asp     Despite reports of ministers wanting to delay implementation, government have given the go-ahead for 5 new specialist diplomas to begin from September 2008 in a limited number of schools and colleges. The 2006 Education Act gave young people a ‘national entitlement’ to … Continue reading Learning for Labour: specialist diplomas and 14-19 education. →