Welsh Assembly Government

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WELSH BACCALAUREATE PARTNERSHIP

• Welsh Assembly Government
• WJEC Project Team
• Dysg - key skills
• Deliverers - schools, colleges training
  providers

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At centre of educational developments in Wales
Provides a powerful network of centres and
support structures
Promotes key skills
Promotes inclusion, retention and achievement
Promotes parity of esteem between academic
vocational qualifications
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• Over 100 centres
• More than 22,000 students
• Began in 2003
• Five year pilot. Roll out in stages

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Characteristics of a Baccalaureate

• qualification for admission to higher education /
  university, employment and foundation for life
• broad and balanced curriculum
• compulsory core offering common experience plus
  optional elements/traditional subjects

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• open to all students
• appropriate for academic and vocational students
• breadth and balance achieved through structure of
  Core activities and Optional subjects
• prepares students for HE, work, and future life
• recognises formal and informal achievement

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• emphasis on key skills
• innovative approaches to learning
• strong personal tutorial support
• enhances knowledge and enthusiasm for business
  and the world of work
• empowers students promotes independent learning
  

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Same structure at all three levels 14 - 19
Advanced level - post 16
Intermediate level
Foundation level
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Curriculum Framework
Options chosen from current academic or
vocational qualifications
Welsh Baccalaureate core - what all students have
to do

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Core

• Wales, Europe and the World, including a language
  module (80 hours)

• Individual Investigation (20 hours)

• Personal and Social Education, including
  Community Participation (80 hours)

• Work-related Education, including work experience
  and an enterprise activity (60 hours)

• Support for key skills and by a personal tutor

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CHALLENGES FOR DELIVERERS

• Timetabling
• Resources
• Staffing/expertise
• Training
• Cost

- Apathy - Reform fatigue - Conservative culture
defence of the status quo
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Wales, Europe and the World

• study political, social, economic and cultural
  factors (8 key issues)
• sets Wales in the broader context
• builds on existing language skills in either a
  modern foreign language or Welsh

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LANGUAGE MODULE
Language learning interactive/fun
How about signing?
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Personal and Social Education

• One key issue from each of 4 elements
• positive relationships
• good health, including sexual health
• the rights and responsibilities of being an
  active citizen
• understanding development issues and education
  for sustainable development

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COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Peer support schemes such as paired reading with
younger students
Helping out at care homes or with charities
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Work-related Education

• understanding of the world of work (all students
  will work with employers)
• importance of enterprise and entrepreneurship
  (all students will contribute to a team
  enterprise activity)
• contributes to careers education and guidance

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WORK RELATED EDUCATION

• 30 HOURS WORK EXPERIENCE OR PART TIME EMPLOYMENT

• 30 HOURS TEAM ENTERPRISE ACTIVITY

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Universities and employers demand skills
Medicine
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• Communication
• Application of Number
• Information Technology
• Working with Others
• Problem Solving
• Improving Own Learning and Performance

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FOUNDATION LEVEL
Four key skills at Level 1, pursue all six.
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
Four key skills at Level 2, pursue all six.
ADVANCED LEVEL
All six key skills, three at Level 3.
Integrated into WBQ optional programmes
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Numeracy Investigation of the position of the
Welsh language in contemporary Wales
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Individual Investigation arising from studies or
own interest
Can deliver a presentation on it to the class
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FOCUS ON ISSUE IN WALES AND ANOTHER COUNTRY

• Inner city re-generation in Cardiff Sydney

• Electoral Systems in Wales Spain

• Obesity in Wales and California
• Public smoking bans in Wales and Ireland

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Skills taught first and developed through the
activity
Discussion Research Presentation
Development of skills e.g. discussing issues
related to individual investigation
Synthesis/analysis of information
To peers on topic or issue of personal study
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STUDENTS VERY POSITIVE ABOUT SUPPORT OF PERSONAL
TUTORS
Tutors guide students through the Welsh
Baccalaureate Regular surgery style interviews
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Challenges

• Support from senior management key staff
• Change in culture of the institution - win battle
  of hearts minds.

• Counter lack of awareness misunderstanding

• Recognition by higher education
• Funding
• Developments in other parts of country

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Challenges for delivery of key skills

• Integrated
• teaching and learning key to success
• Reduce assessment burden

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Increased achievement
In 2006 the average number of key skills awarded
was 5 per candidate. 7,00 key skills were
awarded for the Advanced Diploma alone
Gives students skills and qualifications for 21st
century