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PRINCIPAL LEARNING & PROJECT An overview Robin Hughes & John Adamson 26 November 2010

PRINCIPAL LEARNING & PROJECT An overview Robin Hughes & John Adamson 26 November 2010. What makes Principal Learning different?. Principal Learning is available in Wales as an option within the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification (WBQ).

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PRINCIPAL LEARNING & PROJECT An overview Robin Hughes & John Adamson 26 November 2010

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  1. PRINCIPAL LEARNING & PROJECT An overview Robin Hughes & John Adamson 26 November 2010

  2. What makes Principal Learning different? • Principal Learning is available in Wales as an option within the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification (WBQ). • Teaching and learning must draw from up-to-date developments within the sector. • A minimum of 50% of all learning must be applied; Applied learning must be ‘concerned with the application of knowledge and skills through relevant work and work-related tasks, problems and contexts’ (QCA, April 2007) • All units are mandatory – but are descriptions of skills and techniques that can be evidenced in many contexts or pathways eg Level 2 – ‘Responding to a brief’ (OCR Creative and Media).

  3. What’s available now? • Construction & the Built Environment • Environmental & Land-based Studies • Creative & Media • Hair & Beauty • Engineering • Hospitality • Information Technology • Manufacturing & Product Design  • Business, Administration & Finance • Society, Health & Development • More lines of learning to come in 2011 inc Sport, Retail

  4. Size matters • Principal Learning • Level 1 = 240 GLH (3 GCSEs at D-G) • Level 2 = 420 GLH (5 GCSEs at A*-C) • Level 3 = 540 GLH (1.5 A-Levels at A*-E) • Projects • Foundation (L1) = (Half a GCSE at D-G) • Higher (L2) = (Half a GCSE at A*-C) • Extended (L3) = (AS Level/70 UCAS points)

  5. What do people say about Principal Learning? • June 2010 Chief Examiner’s Report (OCR Creative and Media specifications) • “Candidates engaging in Principal Learning continue to be very enthusiastic and staff and candidates enjoyed their courses enormously”. • “The challenge is to ensure that candidates cover necessary content and present work that falls within the specification requirements and for which marks can be awarded”.

  6. Assessment • Principal Learning is unitised. • Most units are internally assessed; some units are externally assessed through set tasks and a visiting examiner. • OCR-developed model assignments are available for each unit. They cover a range of disciplines and outline a scenario or brief to which learners work. Centres can contextualise scenarios and tasks to meet their local needs. • For externally assessed units learners are given a scenario and range of briefs from which they choose one. The briefs may specify a range of constraints that learners will need to consider when planning and producing their responses.

  7. Employer Engagement - advice to centres • Contact your local Careers Wales advisor • Contact the relevant Sector Skills Council • Build on existing employer links • Encourage the employer to help write a ‘brief’ • Remember… work experience is part of the Welsh Bacc and principal learning must be at least 50% applied learning: employers can help bridge these two requirements.

  8. Academic content • Principal Learning and Project are regulated as if they are general qualifications, not vocational. • Across the lines of learning, candidates are expected to apply skills in a number of contexts i.e. how the candidate has created a product is more important than the product itself. Capturing the whole process is essential to achieving the qualification. • For example in Creative and Media the four skills are: • Explore • Plan • Produce • Reflect

  9. Projects • Not optional if you are doing Principal Learning. • Can be taken as a stand-alone qualification if you are not doing Principal Learning. • Counts as a proxy for the Individual Investigation part of the WBQ (as long as the standards are met) at the corresponding level. • Contributes UCAS points at Level 3. • Style of learning ‘fits’ Principal Learning and can be taught holistically alongside WBQ.

  10. Why choose Principal Learningand Project? • Principal Learning and Project: • Promotes significant work-related learning • Encourages meaningful employer engagement • Provides more than a taster of specific sectors and disciplines but doesn’t limit opportunities • Encourages access to specialist facilities • Supports the development of transferable skills that employers say they want

  11. Progression • Further Education • Apprenticeships • Higher Education • Employment (possibly linked to an apprenticeship or other vocationally-related qualification)

  12. Useful links OCR website www.ocr.org.uk/welshbacc Database of Approved Qualifications in Wales www.daqw.org.uk Welsh Baccalaureate www.wbq.org.uk The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils www.sscalliance.org

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