National Status

ASDAN is a charitable social enterprise with awarding body status, providing courses to more than 6,000 schools, colleges, training providers and youth centres across the UK and beyond. ASDAN's Award programmes and Qualifications offer flexible ways to accredit personal and social education, skills development and enrichment activities, mainly for the 11-25 age group.

ASDAN is approved as an Awarding Organisation for qualifications within the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), and the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), regulated by Ofqual. ASDAN is also approved by the regional regulators: DCELLS (Wales) and CCEA (Northern Ireland).

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) also recognises the value of ASDAN programmes in developing and providing evidence for the Scottish "Core Skills" (particularly Working with Others), and a number of qualifications are listed in the Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework (SCQF).

ASDAN programmes and qualifications are also recognised by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and their counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland. When ASDAN qualifications were given formal GCSE equivalence and included in league tables from September 2004, inevitably this gave ASDAN a heightened status and credibility in the world of education.

The Tomlinson Report (October 2004) highlighted ASDAN as an example of good practice in relation to the accreditation of wider activities, and this still has significance today. The QCA, now the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) makes reference to ASDAN in a number of reports in which ASDAN has been a key contributor, notably "Ways to Accredit Generic Learning", jointly published with DCSF, which can be downloaded from the QCDA website.

 

Key Facts:

  • More than 6,000 registered centres

  • Approved by the DCSF (under Sections 96 and 97 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000)

  • Approved by QCDA, DCELLS, CCEA and SQA

  • Highlighted in the Tomlinson Report (October 2004)

  • Recognised by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) in relation to HE Entry 

  • Member of Expert Group, 14-16 Engagement

  • Referred to in the 14-19 White Paper (Para 9.24)

  • Highlighted in the recent Nuffield Review as exemplary contemporary practice

  • All ASDAN qualifications are approved by QCDA and point-scored as half (Award) or full (Certificate) GCSE/AS Level equivalents. As a guide, 25 points (Level 1) equates to GSCE grade E/F and 46 points (Level 2) equates to GCSE grade B.

 

Charitable status

ASDAN is established as a registered charity for “The advancement of education, by providing opportunities for all learners to develop their personal and social attributes and levels of achievement through ASDAN awards and resources, and the relief of poverty, where poverty inhibits such opportunities for learners.” (registered charity number: 1066927)

Visit the Vision and Values page for further information about ASDAN's charitable objectives.