The Cheltenham Partnership

You can study a Diploma at three levels: Foundation, Higher and Advanced.

• The Foundation Diploma is the same as 5 GCSEs at grades D to G
• The Higher Diploma is the same as 7 GCSEs at grades A* to C
• The Advanced Diploma is the same as 3.5 A levels

A Progression Diploma is also available, which is the same as 2.5 A levels. And from 2011 there will be an Extended Diploma on offer too.

It contains extra maths and English plus extra Additional and Specialist Learning. If you do the Extended Diploma at Foundation level, it's the same as 7 GCSEs at grades D to G; at Higher level it's worth 9 GCSEs at grades A* to C, and at Advanced it's the same as 4.5 A levels.

From September 2010 the following diplomas are on offer to Year 10 students across the partnership.  All the diplomas are offered at Level 2 only at this stage – Level 1 and Level 3 will be added later.

• Creative & Media taught at Pittville School and the University of Gloucestershire
• Environmental and Land-based taught at Winchcombe School and Hartpury College
• Hospitality taught at Gloucestershire College
• Information Technology taught at Christ College and Gloucestershire College
• Society, Health & Development taught at Balcarras School (for 2010 this is a pilot programme available only to students at Balcarras)
• Sport & Active Leisure taught at Christ College, Gloucestershire College and Hartpury College