Originally the government hoped at least 40,000 young people would sign up. Then in the summer it admitted the figure was more likely to be around 20,000. But last week the truth emerged that just 11,490 young people had started studying towards the 14 to 19 qualifications.
John May, chief executive of the charity Career Academies UK, admits it's a disappointing figure. He is a big fan of diplomas since the qualifications fit in well with Careers Academies' mission of raising the aspirations of 16- to 19-year-olds in areas of social need by giving them experience in the world of work.
But he dismisses the idea that diplomas should be written off due to the apparent disinterest. "Whenever you introduce a new qualification adoption is slow because parents - quite understandably - don't want their children becoming pioneers of new teaching methods," he says.
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