Hywel Griffith BBC Wales Education Correspondent

Wales has been leading the way with its Welsh Bac trial

The publication of the Tomlinson report for England recommends moving to a diploma, something already being tried out in Wales with the Welsh Baccalaureate.

"In many respects we are up with the game on 14 to 19," said an assembly government spokesperson, "and, in some respects, we are already ahead."

"There are many parallels to our Welsh Bac development and we're very happy to see that."

Mike Tomlinson, the former chief inspector for schools in England, on Monday recommended a move from GCSE and A-level qualifications towards a more skills-based programme which would combine traditional academic subjects with more vocational elements.

As a vocational aspect - yes, I think it's the way forward. Course tutor Lynne Hopkins

The Welsh Bac currently exists alongside A-Levels and GCSEs, rather than replacing them.

The assembly government says that the model is flexible, and could co-exist with the new diplomas in England.

It also says it is confident that revisions as a result of the Tomlinson report could be designed to fit into the Welsh model.

The Welsh Bac is now in its second year of piloting, with 24 schools and colleges offering the course at intermediate and advanced level.

Students of childcare at Coleg Gwent in Ebbw Vale were among the first to study for the new qualification, and had to combine their traditional studies with courses on local government, community work and languages.

Emma-Jane Williams, one of the first to get the intermediate qualification, said: "I wasn't expecting it to be that hard, because it involved different sections like learning about 'Wales, Europe and the World'.

"I think I found that bit the hardest, because there was a lot to do for that part," she said.

Course tutor Lynne Hopkins said the new baccalaureate had helped to widen the skills of students at Coleg Gwent, but she did not necessarily see it as a replacement for traditional qualifications.

"There's a lot to be gained from GCSEs and A-level, and I think it really depends on the students involved. As a vocational aspect - yes, I think it's the way forward.

"But I still think there's a lot to be gained from GCSEs and A-levels."

The piloting of the Welsh Baccalaureate is set to extend to seven more schools and colleges next September, with the aim of introduction to all centres across Wales by September 2007.