THE introduction of a set of 17 new diplomas is the biggest shake- up in secondary education since the arrival of GCSEs 20 years ago to replace O-Levels.

From September, teenagers in Swindon will be among the first in the country to tackle the diplomas with three disciplines on offer to the town's teenagers.

Alongside core subject GCSEs in maths, English and science, pupils will be able to choose to follow diplomas in creative and media, engineering, or construction and the built environment.

Although not all the town's schools are yet involved in providing the courses, pupils in Year 9 at all schools currently have the option of completing a diploma instead of a full programme of traditional GCSEs.

Wiltshire schools Wootton Bassett, Bradon Forest in Purton, Malmesbury and St John's in Marlborough, are also taking part through their catchment connections to Swindon's colleges.

Schools have been hosting their own Key Stage 4 parents' information evenings as well as some larger events organised by the 14 to 19 team, based at Greendown Community School.

And so far the feedback has been showing a good deal of interest in the pre-16 option and less for those who are able to opt into diplomas as a post-16 alternative to A-Levels and other similar courses.

One school has already registered more than 30 applications for media and creative diplomas, although the deadline is not until April and the team expect to get more feedback from other schools this month.

Pupils have the option of completing foundation and higher diplomas as the equivalent of five GCSEs and advanced level ranking alongside three and a half A-Levels.

A key feature of the diplomas is that they cover all abilities, from the most able through to the least able of pupils, with an individual pupil setting their own goals of either attaining a foundation, higher or advanced level qualification.

Media and creative diplomas take in the traditional performing arts subjects, as well as disciplines such as design technology, radio, film and graphics, with those opting for the course committing to studying six of these areas.

In the other two diplomas, now set up in Swindon, work is on a modular, topic-based programme and specific elements cover the wide reach of the subjects.

Among those companies and outside agencies already on-line for the autumn intake are the Swindon arts and music services at the borough council, and BMW, which will also be a major player in the classroom element of the engineering course.

While September's intake has just three diplomas to choose from, by 2013 all 17 will be in place in the borough's schools, with the next set ready for the off in 2009 including hospitality, social health and development, IT and health and beauty.