Last updated 12:43, Friday, 05 September 2008

FURNESS students have become some of the first young people in the country to start the new Diploma qualification.

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This week Year 10 pupils started the two-year Foundation and Higher Diplomas, which are the equivalent to GCSEs.

The courses are being taught at Barrow Sixth Form College and Furness College.

Next week the Barrow colleges will also start the Advanced Diploma, which is equivalent to A-Levels.

Furness is one of only 10 areas in the country to offer all five of the first Diploma subjects.

The Rating Lane sixth form is leading society, health and development and creative and media.

Furness College, at Channelside, is the base for information technology, engineering and construction and the built environment.

This year there is a pre-16 group studying each of the five subjects. There are 78 Year 10 pupils studying in six Diploma groups. These pupils also study GCSE and the core curriculum subjects.

Each diploma has its own A* award. Foundation Diplomas are the equivalent of five GCSEs grades D-G, Higher Diplomas rate as seven A* to C and advanced is equivalent to three and a half A-Levels. There are currently two post-16 group studying society, health and development and IT.

The Diplomas will combine academic and practical learning.

Dave Green, Furness Diploma project manager, said: “It’s all going really well. There has been a really good atmosphere at both colleges. We put in for five subjects and we are now running them so we have hit the target from that point of view.”

Nationally Diplomas have faced criticism, with fears teachers would not be prepared.

But Mr Green said there has been significant training for Furness teachers and fantastic resources are in place for students.