Top marks in the new Advanced diploma for 14 to 19-year-olds will be worth more than three A levels, the Government confirmed yesterday in a move plainly designed to boost acceptance of the new qualification among middle-class families and universities.

The diplomas, which will be introduced next year, are designed to end the divide between practical and academic learning. Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, hopes that they will become the “jewel in the crown” of the education system, making the A level redundant.

Confirmation of the new scoring system for the diploma comes after a report last month from the Nuffield Review, led by the University of Oxford, which said that the introduction of the new qualification had been rushed and that middle-class families would continue to favour traditional courses, such as GCSEs and A levels, as long as they remained available.

Ministers believe that the diplomas, which will include practical skills, work placements and classroom learning, could replace A levels and GCSEs as the most popular courses in schools.

However, they have insisted that existing qualifications should stay until a review in 2013. The University and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) confirmed yesterday that the Advanced-level diploma would be worth a maximum of 420 Ucas points, compared with the 360 available for scoring top marks in three A levels.

By ensuring that the new diploma is broadly competitive with A levels, the Government has placed the diplomas firmly within the spectrum of routes for university entry.

Many universities stipulate that students must score a certain number of points to win places on degree courses. As diplomas will compete against A levels, getting universities to accept them will be crucial to their success. A survey this summer suggested that fewer than four in ten university admissions officers saw the diploma as a “good alternative” to A levels, although there are signs that the mood is gradually changing.

Anthony McClaren, the chief executive of Ucas, said it was encouraging that some universities were beginning to signal an acceptance in principle of the new qualifications. So far, at least seven universities, including Leeds and Nottingham, have said that they would accept the engineering diploma as a way on to relevant degree courses, providing that students also took a maths qualification.

Head teachers said that the new information from Ucas would encourage more students to choose to study for diplomas.

John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “This will give a big boost to the recruitment of the diploma courses.”

Bill Rammell, the Higher Education Minister, said that the diplomas should be a preparation for “the most demanding university courses”. The diplomas will be offered from next year at 900 schools and colleges. They have been welcomed by several big businesses, including Land Rover, Vodafone and BT. The first five diplomas will be in construction, media, engineering, IT and health.

The Advanced diploma will be studied by 16-18 year-olds from next September and take two years to complete, the same time as three A levels. Students will also be able to study for a Progression level diploma, worth the equivalent of two A levels, or 300 Ucas points.

There will also be diplomas for 14 to 16-year-olds. The Foundation level diploma will be worth the equivalent of five GCSEs, grade A*-G. A Higher level diploma will be worth seven GCSEs, grade A*-C. Students can mix old and new by taking diplomas and GCSEs at the same time, or higher-level diplomas with A levels.

In order to provide 17 different diplomas alongside GCSEs and A levels, schools and colleges that have traditionally competed against each other for students will have to form partnerships to offer joint teaching of courses.

The Government announced an extra £1,000 funding yesterday for schools teaching diplomas to 14 to 16-year-olds to help the formation of such partnerships.

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