ASDAN Qualifications
ASDAN offers qualifications at Entry 1, 2 and 3, Levels 1 and 2, Level 3 and Level 4.
They are approved for pre- and post-16 provision by the regulatory authorities for England (Ofqual), Wales (DfES) and Northern Ireland (CCEA), and by the Secretary of State under Sections 96 and 97 of the Learning and Skills Act. Check the funding page for funding information.
Many of ASDAN's qualifications are approved within the new Qualifications and Curriculum Framework (QCF) and are eligible to be used within Foundation Learning (FL) provision. Further QCF information is available from Ofqual and guidance is available via the Learning Records Service.
Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance (QA) maintains the validity and reliability of all ASDAN's qualifications. Download the QA Guidance to familiarise yourself with the requirements.
Centre Approval
Our approval process prior to September 2012 required centres to complete the Approval Checklist and Staffing Update, which provided brief information about the systems and processes used and the staff involved in the delivery and internal moderation of the qualification.
From September 2012, all new and existing centres are required to provide us with copies of key policies and procedures by uploading them to the new Centre Approval section of the secure area of the ASDAN website.
Once these policies are checked and accepted, full approval status will either be given for the first time or it will continue if the centre already had approval previously.
From February 2013, this process must be completed in order for centres to be able to register candidate names for moderation. (Candidate Numbers can still be purchased without full approval.)
Further details are available on the Centre Approval information page or read the FAQs.
Qualifications approval
All ASDAN qualifications have successfully passed the Ofqual review and extension process. A full list of approval dates for qualifications can be downloaded here.
ASDAN qualifications are counted alongside GCSEs in School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables:
Entry Qualifications
The following ASDAN qualifications are available at Entry Level:
- Personal Progress - Entry 1
- PSD - Entry 1-3
- Employability - Entry 2 & 3
- Diplomas in Life Skills - Entry 1-3
- Volunteering at an Event - Entry 3
Training for all these qualifications is available via the Entry Qualifications Workshop. Download the information booklet about ASDAN's SEN provision.
Level 3 Qualifications
The following ASDAN qualifications are available at Level 3:
- Award of Personal Effectiveness (AoPE)
- Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE)
- Volunteering Qualifications
- Employability Qualifications
- Wider Key Skills
Training for all of these qualifications is available via the Level 3 Qualifications Workshop.
Single Unit Accreditation (coming soon)
ASDAN will soon be able to offer a new system for accrediting individual QCF units. This is for centres that do not require a full qualification outcome but have learners for whom accrediting single units would be appropriate. Further information will be available later in 2013.