MEDEV

School of Medical Sciences Education Development

Introduction

A presentation on the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification was made earlier this year to medical school admissions tutors attending a Forum 'Selecting the Right People to be Tomorrow's Doctors' held at Exeter and hosted by Peninsula Medical School.

The Welsh Baccalaureate is a new post-16 over-arching diploma qualification, nationally recognised, evaluated by the University of Bath Department of Education and assessed by the Welsh Joint Education Committee.

It is being piloted in 30 centres across Wales between 2003-7 with a decision by the Welsh Assembly Government in 2006 on roll-out to other centres in Wales. Approximately 700 students may be applying through UCAS for entry in 2005 offering the WBQ.

The WBQ was designed to widen participation in, and encourage completion of, post-16 education; to raise achievement and promote parity of esteem for vocational and academic courses; to encourage progression to further and higher education, training/employment and to encourage active and responsible citizenship.

Assessment of the Core includes portfolios of evidence, tests, component diaries, records of curriculum activities and experiences, verification and evaluation statements from employers, community offices and enterprise activity organisers.

The Core comprises 640 guided learning hours (64 credits) or (seven units), includes regular one-to-one tutoring and mentoring support and it has been awarded 120 UCAS Tariff points.

The WBQ can be achieved at either Intermediate (Level two) or Advanced (Level three) level. At Intermediate Level the academic options include a minimum of five GCSE or NVQ Level two or BTEC First at pass level or equivalent while the Advanced Diploma requires a minimum of two GCE Advanced or NVQ Level three or BTEC National Certificate at pass level or equivalent.

Offers from HEI's should include achievement of the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma, using UCAS Tariff points and stipulating - where appropriate - the number of units, subjects and grades required in the optional qualifications.

Students taking the WBQ will

• have the ability to use and apply key skills
• be more effective, independent individual learners
• improve their investigative, analytical, evaluation and ICT skills
• have a greater awareness of a range of issues affecting both contemporary society and them as individuals
• have a greater appreciation of the world of work and business

The University of Wales College of Medicine has warmly welcomed the breadth of education and diversity of learning experiences afforded by the over-arching Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma. Offers will be based on achievement of the Advanced Diploma with 390 Tariff points, including 15 units in optional qualifications, AB grades being required in two science GCE A level subjects.

Two-part structure for the WBQ

• Options - students' existing programmes of study such as GCSE, AS/AL, AVCE, NVQ, etc.
• Compulsory core - made up of four 4 components

Key skills

• Communication: application of number,
• Information technology,
• Problem solving,
• Working with others,
• Improving own learning and performance

Wales, Europe and World

• Eight key issues; political, social, economic and cultural
• Individual Investigation; Written/oral presentation based on one of the above issues
• Language module; developing new or existing modern foreign language skills

Work-related education

• Working with employers
• Team enterprise activity

Personal and social education

• Four key issues: family, health, relationships, aspects of citizenship
• Community participation

Information on this new qualification is currently being made available to HE institutions by the WBQ Project Team and also by UCAS.

Further details can be found on the website: http://www.wbq.org.uk.

A conference for HE admissions tutors will be held at St. David's Hotel, Cardiff Bay on Thursday 23 September 2004 when teachers and students will share their experiences and enthusiasm for this new qualification.