ASDAN is a pioneering curriculum development organisation and an internationally recognised awarding body, which grew out of research work at the University of the West of England in the 1980s. ASDAN offers a wide range of curriculum programmes and qualifications for all abilities, mainly in the 11-25 age group. ASDAN is a unique and successful initiative that has been developed and managed by teachers and lecturers, alongside a dedicated and highly efficient administrative team.

ASDAN was formally established as an educational charity in 1991. The stated purpose of the charity is "to promote the personal and social development of learners through the achievement of ASDAN Awards, so as to enhance their self esteem, their aspirations and their contribution to the community".

ASDAN programmes and qualifications blend activity-based curriculum enrichment with a framework for the development, assessment and accreditation of key skills and other personal and social skills, with emphasis on negotiation, co-operation and rewarding achievement.

ASDAN is approved by DfES, QCA, DELLS, CCEA and SQA.

ASDAN is a success story for the teaching profession - growing from a handful of schools in the late 1980s to over 5,000 centres registered today.

This success highlights not only the extent of "professional imagination" but also what this imagination can achieve when teachers' creative energies are nurtured and supported.

ASDAN manages and administers the work associated with supporting over 4,500 registered centres (mostly schools and colleges) throughout the UK and in a number of other countries (including New Zealand, Cayman Islands, Kuwait, India and Australia), publishes a catalogue with over 100 publication titles, supervises the moderation and verification procedures for all its awards, and develops new curriculum resources and qualifications in response to the needs of the profession.

ASDAN Programmes and Qualifications are:
  • Relevant to a variety of contexts including schools, colleges, training provision, probation, voluntary and social services
  • Approved by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES)
  • Referred to in the Dearing Report as examples of good practice in the context of "Recognising a Wider Range of Achievement" and "Improving Skills in Lifelong Learning"
  • Recognised by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS) in relation to HE entry
  • Acknowledged by over 140 Institutions of HE which formally recognise their value for entry purposes
  • A way of delivering "self reliance, flexibility and breadth through fostering competence in key skills" (NTETs)
All ASDAN Programmes and Qualifications have a number of common features:
  • They are learner centred, offering opportunities for a negotiated curriculum which is modular and activity based
  • They encourage candidates to develop responsibility for their own learning through a process of action planning and review
  • They assist in the personal and social development of the individual through a focus on Key Skills for which the QCA (Qualifications Curriculum Authority) national standards provide a template for assessment and accreditation
  • They recognise achievement across the school/college curriculum, as well as in the home, the community and the world of work
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PERSPECTIVES ON ASDAN

The Tomlinson Report

Draws attention to ASDAN's capacity to accredit Wider Activities (paragraph 83) Offers ASDAN as an example of good practice with regard to teacher-led assessment and cross centre moderation (page 32 of Annex) Highlights ASDAN as a model for the extended research project / social challenge (paragraphs 70 and 72) Refers to ASDAN's Universities Award as an effective means of assessing Wider Activities within the mainstream curriculum

Employers

"We are looking for young people with something like an NVQ in attitude - the ASDAN Awards fit the bill entirely". John Savage, Chief Executive of Bristol West and Managing Director of Bristol Chamber of Commerce and Initiative.

Practitioners

"All ASDAN Awards are extremely well structured, students can develop a huge variety of skills that stretch their development and personal achievement, especially with improved knowledge of implementation of Key Skills." Nicole Smith, Herefordshire College of Technology (Award Programmes)

"A marvellously liberating concept! They enjoy the structure and ethos." Phil Shea, Matravers School (Bronze/Silver Awards)

"The ASDAN scheme is invaluable in it's uniqueness and flexibility. Participants gain experience in a wide range of activities - it has proved ideal in building confidence and self esteem and promotes social skills, wonderful friendships and most importantly of all, team spirit." Wendy Trounce, Worcestershire Lifestyles (Award Programmes)

"Allows Sixth Formers to gain accreditation for activities they are already involved in. It also helps with university admissions as evidence of a wider involvement beyond A Level curriculum." Maureen Cameron, Carlton Le Willows School (Bronze & Universities Awards)

Click here to download our current status flier Section 96 and approved external qualifications. ASDAN qualifications are approved by the Secretary of State under Section 96 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000.

UCAS and HE Entry

ASDAN is referred to in the UCAS Guidance to Applicants for the completion of the personal statement in relation to Key Skills.

Over 140 Higher Education Institutions recognise the value of the ASDAN Universities Award as an indicator of a wide range of personal and social skills, including "stickability", the capacity to organise one's own learning programme, and teamwork skills.

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The White Paper: 14-19 Education and Skills

Drawing on the recommendations in the Tomlinson report, which highlighted ASDAN as a model of good practice, the White Paper of February 2005 also refers to ASDAN's capacity to engage young people, and recognise and reward wider achievements (Para 0.24).

Disapplication and ASDAN Programmes

The DfES publication Disapplication of the National Curriculum (July 2000) makes it clear that ASDAN programmes can be used for pupils excluded from the national curriculum. There are two possibilities:

"to allow a pupil to participate in extended work related learning through a programme leading to the ASDAN Youth Award" (paragraph 4.28)

or

to offer an ASDAN programme such as Transition Challenge or Workright for pupils "who are making significantly less progress than other pupils of a similar age" (paragraph 4.7)

ASDAN's contribution to National Policy Formation

Key skills are now available as a qualification pre-16 following intense lobbying by ASDAN.

ASDAN remains as one of the most effective DfES approved routes for the development and accreditation of the wider key skills pre-16.

Citizenship/PSHE

ASDAN has developed curriculum programmes and short courses, which deliver the specified learning outcomes of both the Citizenship and PSHE national frameworks at Key Stages 2,3 and 4 across Years 5-11.

ASDAN continues its national involvement with the PSHE Advisory network and is referred to post-16 as an example of effective practice in the Crick post-16 report "Citizenship for 16-19 year olds in Education and Training" (DfES Autumn 2000). ASDAN is referred to pre-16 in QCA's Initial Guidance to Scholls on Citizenship at Key Stages 3 and 4 (July 2000)

Work Related Learning

ASDAN's Foundation for Work Award programme and associated Certificate in Career Planning address all the requirements identified in QCA's recently published nice-strand framework for Work Related Learning. As a qualification within the NQF the Certificate in Career Planning is approved for use with students under 16 (Section 96) and carries mandatory funding (section 97) for 16-19 year olds.

ASDAN's new Business and Enterprise Short Course Award, developed within a DfES Enterprise Education pathfinder and led by the Cornwall EBP, is designed to accredit students' activities in the Business and Enterprise elemensts of Work Related Learning and is suitable for all abilities within the 11-19 age range and beyond. Credit from this award can be counted to the new ASDAN CoPE Qualification