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Waltham Forest consortium is now in its second year of delivering the Diploma in Creative and Media. The Diploma has introduced learners to a different way of studying that enables them to work with real life creative and media industries.

So far on the Diploma learners have had the opportunity to work on exciting projects with organisations such as EA Games, MTV, Echo and Channel 4. The learners have responded to real life industry briefs, produced high quality work and gained industry standard knowledge and skills.

A collaborative equality and diversity toolkit for use by Consortium Advisers with their consortia and partnerships has been developed in consultation with consortium leads by South East Consortium Advisers, Helen Scott and Helen Hume. The toolkit explores the context of challenging stereotypes, raising aspirations and promoting diversity and inclusion, as well as including a two-page checklist. The toolkit applies to all 14-19 delivery and not just the Diploma.

See the toolkit

A health check that is currently in development will alert consortia and local authorities to any gaps in their collaborative quality assurance (CQA) frameworks. The health check is being developed and trialled by the West Midlands Consortium Adviser team.

CQA and the lead assessor role are becoming a rapidly developing area of practice in consortia now that Diploma programmes are well under way.

The health check will:

A partnership in Gloucestershire has commissioned a piece of research to find out what learner and parent’s attitudes are to collaborative working in the area. The South Cotswold Partnership consists of three 11-16 schools, one 11-18 school, a further education (FE) college and a higher education institution (HEI). At the heart of the partnership is the desire to offer pathways for all learners now as well as planning for the future with the introduction of the Diplomas and other pathways.

An event for local authority 14-19 strategic leads and consortium leads from the East Midlands and other regions will take place on Friday 26 February at Yew Lodge Hotel in Kegworth.

Morning session: Briefing on Raising the Participation Age (RPA) by Government Office East Midlands (GOEM) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). 9.30am -1pm (including lunch)

The first meeting of the North West Collaborative Quality Assurance (CQA) Network was held in Warrington on 2 December. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for colleagues across the region to continue to share practical insights on how developments in collaborative quality assurance are progressing. It is widely recognised that much work remains to be undertaken on CQA.

The network meeting was well supported with over 30 representatives attending.19 out of 23 local authorities were represented.

Nottinghamshire and the City of Nottingham local authorities and partners invite consortia in the East Midlands and beyond to participate in this wide-ranging conference at the East Midlands Conference Centre, University Park, Nottingham.

The aims are to share and debate both strategy and practice.

Keynote speakers will include:

Learning visits throughout the autumn term have demonstrated how well they are succeeding at disseminating experiences and learning, not only at the event itself but through the subsequent exchange of materials and networking of participants and hosts.

A workshop focusing on collaborative quality assurance (CQA) across all four 14-19 pathways (Apprenticeships, Diplomas, Foundation Learning and General Qualifications) will be held for all London-based consortia on 2 December. The workshop is being run by LSIS/National College 14-19 Leadership and Management Development Programme, Government Office London and Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) and one place is available for each consortium's leader who has a strategic responsibility for CQA.

The workshop has been designed to help London consortia: