Over 117 delegates joined day one of the conference. The theme was learning about the new 14-19 diplomas. In welcoming participants Sylvia King, Regional Coordinator of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, set the scene for the day by outlining the place of the 14-19 diploma within the educational landscape.

Parallel sessions that ran throughout the morning provided practitioners' views of the new curriculum across five subject areas:

• Construction and the built environment
• Creative and media
• Engineering
• Information technology
• Society, health and development
  

After lunch, Delyth Chambers - Independent Advisor to the Department of Children, Schools and Families - addressed the conference with a presentation that focused on the engagement of higher education in the ongoing 14-19 reforms, and looked at the changing face of HE admissions.

The sessions that followed explored the role of Information, Advice and Guidance in explaining the 14-19 diplomas to parents/carers and employers, and IAG practitioners.

The day ended with a series of presentations. Sarah Hardman, SLN Deputy Director, and Bob Savill, Head of Admissions at the University of Chichester, discussed the implications of the 14-19 diplomas for the two Sussex Progression Accords, and how the SLN plans to support the diplomas with new progression agreements. To close, Honora Sargent (West Sussex), Julie Dougill (East Sussex), and Lindi Galloway (Brighton & Hove) provided an overview of future plans for the diplomas across the 3 Local Education Authorities.

Links to the materials from the event are at the bottom of the screen.