Critical success factors
At centre of educational developments in Wales
Promotes
skills
Promotes inclusion,
retention and
achievement
Provides a
powerful
network of
centres and
support
structures
Promotes parity of esteem
between academic &
vocational qualifications
Growth in WBQ
Number of candidates per level
9000
8000
Number candidates
7000
6000
5000
Advanced
4000
Intermediate
3000
Foundation
2000
1000
0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Year
2009
2010
2011
Results 2011
Advanced
Intermediate
Foundation
Total
Number
% of entry
Core
7824
94.0 %
Diploma
7550
90.7 %
Core
5168
87.5 %
Diploma
4847
82.0 %
Core
2541
86.7 %
Diploma
2417
82.5 %
Core
15533
90.5%
Diploma
14814
86.3%
Characteristics of a Baccalaureate
• broad and balanced curriculum
• compulsory core offering common experience plus
optional elements/traditional subjects
• parity between academic & vocational qualifications
• emphasis on skills, independent learning, innovative
learning
• qualification for admission to higher education,
employment and foundation for life
Curriculum Framework
Each student
has a
personal
tutor or
learning
coach
Welsh Baccalaureate
core
Options range of
current
qualifications
Foundation,
Intermediate &
Advanced Levels
What is the Welsh Bac worth?
• Advanced WBQ Diploma
= 120 UCAS points
in addition to Option points
• Intermediate WBQ Diploma
= approx 3 A* - C grade GCSEs
• Foundation WBQ Diploma
= approx 3 D - G grade GCSEs
What about funding?
•Funding now a matter for the local authority
•Previously post 16 (over 2 years) was based on NPFS system and
worth c £550 per year*
•Pump prime delivery and planning funding pre-16 is no longer available
*Key Skills = 36 CEUs (3
could be claimed each year)
Core = 9 CEUs
(
4.5 each year)
Total = 45 x £25.04 =
£1126.8 (£563.40 each year)
What about universities?
HE &
WBQ
Total
courses
Acceptable
on own
Acceptable in
combination
Not
acceptable
UK
20,881
16,069
4,659
153
WALES
2,809
2,220
586
3
•96% received a WBQ offer from at least
one of their 5 choices’ (Head of 6th Form,
2010)
Work by the UCAS Research Team,
analysed a sample of over 600 Welsh Bac
students who applied through UCAS for
entry to HEIs in 2006. The Welsh Bac
applicants showed a number of positive
characteristics.
•Welsh Bac applicants demonstrated a
higher success rate in the UCAS main
scheme
• Better A level performance.
(Abi Titley, UCAS)
CHALLENGES FOR NEW CENTRES
DELIVERY OF THE WBQ PRESENTS A
CONSIDERABLE CHALLENGE
- Staffing/expertise
- Timetabling
- Resources
- Training
- Cost
- Apathy
- Reform fatigue
- Conservative
culture & defence
of the status quo
WBQ CO-ORDINATOR
(KS4/5 separate)
ADMIN
SUPPORT
SENIOR
MANAGEMENT
LINK
PUTTING
TOGETHER A
WBQ TEAM
KEY SKILLS
COORDINATOR
TUTOR/MENTORS
SPECIALISTS
(KS4/5 separate)
REGULAR MEETINGS
Core team
meetings - once a
week
Regular meetings with learning coaches
ROLE OF PERSONAL TUTOR/LEARNING
COACH IS KEY
Tutors guide students
through the Welsh
Baccalaureate
Surgery style interviews
Students entitled to 30
minutes each half term
SPREADING THE WORD
• Students
• Teachers
• Parents
• Local community
• HE
• Collaboration
EVALUATION
• Senior managers
review provision
• Progression
• Completion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExWfh6sGyso
‘WBQ provides
excellent
preparation for
success in HE.’
Aberystwyth Uni.
‘You get life skills
from the WBQ. It
makes you more
confident as a person’
(Nick, student)
‘The WBQ has developed
a number of the
employability skills that
employers have asked
for’.
David Rosser,
Director CBI in Wales