Adventure and Residential Short Course

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About this course

What is it?

The Adventure and Residential Short Course accredits up to 60 hours of out-of-centre activities. This could encompass outward-bound, adventure, sports-based or youth centre residentials, geography field trips, arts visits, history trips, museums and galleries, heritage sites, foreign language trips and exchanges, urban or rural visits, citizenship courses, workshops on nature or environment and summer schools.

The flexibility of ASDAN's Short Courses means that they can be carried out in a variety of settings, over a time period to suit the individual or co-ordinating centre. Challenge descriptions can be interpreted and adapted according to the situation.

This Short Course can be completed using the student book or through Equitas, ASDAN’s digital learning platform.

Find out more about the differences between Short Course student books and Equitas in this information leaflet.

Learner age 13+, 14+, 14–16, 14–25, 16+, 16–19, 19+, Adults
Level (indicative for non-regulated courses) Entry 3, Level 1
Key Stage Key Stage 5, Key Stage 4, Key Stage 3
Education setting Special school, Justice system (including youth offending), Further education, Community Education, PRU, EOTAS, Academy / Multi-academy trust, Voluntary sector, Training provider, Adult education, Independent school, Social services, Secondary
Guided learning hours 10–20 hours, 20–60 hours
Regulated Non-regulated course
Certification Externally certificated, digital or hard-copy (additional fee)
Location England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, International (including Channel Islands and Ireland)
UCAS points No UCAS points available
Available on Equitas No
Pathway Personal Effectiveness

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To teach this course you must be an ASDAN member.

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Who is it for?

Short Courses are widely used in formal and non-formal settings, for learners aged 13 and over. Although ASDAN’s Short Courses are designed for learners working at Entry level 3 to Level 1, they can be adapted for learners working above or below these levels. The focus is on completing challenges and developing skills. 

Facts and figures 

  • Flexible programmes of learning accessible to learners at a range of levels
  • Internally moderated
  • Accredits 10–60 hours of activities
  • Can count towards up to three credits for the Personal Development Programmes
  • Can support skills development for ASDAN’s Personal Effectiveness Qualifications and may contribute to recognition of prior learning where standards are met in full 

Requirements

Learners must present evidence of their activities in an organised portfolio or e-portfolio.

This will contain:

  • a record of challenges completed, with supporting evidence for each challenge
  • recording documents, showing how learners have planned and reviewed their activities
  • summary of achievement, highlighting skills development
  • personal statement

Course Content

The Adventure and Residential Short Course comprises four modules:

  • Off on a trip – planning and going
  • Aspects of trips and visits
  • Museums, galleries and heritage
  • Evaluation

Each learner will need their own copy of the Short Course student book or an e-portfolio login – this contains the challenge content and recording documents.

Download sample pages from the Adventure and Residential Short Course student book.

Supporting Resources

A free set of downloadable tutor notes to support the Adventure and Residential Short Course containing guidance for each challenge and suggested resources are available to centres registered for Short Courses in the members' area.

A quick guide to Short Courses is also available to support the delivery of all ASDAN Short Courses. This document offers advice and guidance for tutors, including a step-by-step guide to delivery.

ASDAN training events are delivered by experts to help your centre run our courses successfully. They provide an introduction to the course, along with guidance on delivery, assessment, and moderation processes.

Book training

All costs shown below are per learner, unless otherwise stated. Each learner will require their own copy of the student book or a login and registration on Equitas. Books and registrations purchased for Short Courses are valid for three years from the date of purchase.

Item Price
PSHE Short Course student book  £12
PSHE Short Course Equitas learner registration and digital learning platform login £12
PSHE Short Course printed and foiled certificate (optional, per learner, per Short Course) £3.75

Products can be purchased below.

Volume pricing for Equitas Short Courses

We're now offering scalable pricing on Equitas Short Courses.

  • 1–9 learners: £12 per registration
  • 10–19 learners: £8 per registration
  • 20–29 learners: £6 per registration
  • 30+ learners: £4 per registration

This pricing applies only to new registrations made together in a single transaction for the same Equitas Short Course.

Products

Course resources

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 1A2: Challenges ahead

This mind-map template can be used by learners to show what they might find challenging on their trip or visit. This resource links to challenge 1A2 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 1A3: Skills and qualities survey

This resource provides a template for a skills and qualities survey. This worksheet links to challenge 1A3 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 1A5: Keeping healthy and safe

This worksheet can help learners think about what they need to do to stay healthy and safe on their trip or visit. This resource links to challenge 1A5 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 1A6: Researching your visit

This mind-map template can be used by learners to show what areas they would like to research about their trip or visit. This resource links to challenge 1A6 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 1A8: Team building game template

This resource provides a template for an instruction card for a team building game. This resource links to challenge 1A8 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 1A9: Ground rules (think, pair, share)

This worksheet can support learners as they come up with a list of ground rules for behaviour on their trip or visit. Learners are asked to come up with ideas on their own (think), with a partner (pair) and with others (share). This resource links to challenge 1A9 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 2A1: Health and safety

These worksheets encourage learners to explore aspects of health and safety in relation to their trip or visit. This resource links to challenge 2A1 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 2A10: Resources for other agreed challenge

These worksheets can be used to structure activities that learners could complete for challenge 2A10 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course (other agreed challenge). The worksheets cover additional aspects of trips and visits, such as: comparing home and away; chores and responsibilities; surroundings; co-operation; and individual vs. group activities.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 2A2: Food diary

This food diary template can be used by learners to record what they have eaten on their trip or visit and the nutritional aspects of their meals. This resource links to challenge 2A2 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 2A4: Comparing surroundings

This worksheet encourages learners to compare aspects of their surroundings at home with the surroundings on their trip or visit. This resource links to challenge 2A4 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 2A5: Skills, knowledge and qualities self evaluation

This worksheet provides a template for learners to evaluate the skills, knowledge and qualities they have gained on their trip or visit. This resource links to challenge 2A5 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 2A6: Peer- and self-evaluation for a challenging activity

This worksheet provides learners with a template for a peer- and self-evaluation of a challenging activity they have participated in on their trip or visit. This resource links to challenge 2A6 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 2A6: Self-evaluation for a challenging activity

This worksheet provides learners with a template for a self-evaluation of a challenging activity they have participated in on their trip or visit. This resource links to challenge 2A6 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 2A8: Nature-themed scavenger hunts

This resource provides learners with templates for a variety of nature-themed scavenger hunts. This resource links to challenge 2A8 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 2A9: Team building game feedback

This resource provides learners with feedback slips for team building games they have participated in on their trip or visit. This resource links to challenge 2A9 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 2B2: When I've used the ASDAN skill

This worksheet provides learners with a template to show when they have used the six ASDAN skills (learning, teamwork, coping with problems, use of IT, use of English, use of maths) during their activities. This resource links to challenge 2B2 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 3B1: Theme box factsheet template

This worksheet provides learners with a template for a fact sheet that can be included in a themed box of objects for use in schools. This resource links to challenge 3B1 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 4A1: Think, pair, share evaluation

This worksheet provides learners with a template to evaluate their trip or visit. Learners are asked to come up with ideas on their own (think), with a partner (pair) and with others (share). This resource links to challenge 4A1 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Adventure and Residential Short Course - 1A1: Planning a trip or visit

This resource provides worksheets to assist learners in planning a trip or visit. This resource links to challenge 1A1 of the Adventure and Residential Short Course.

Evaluation chart (individual)

This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week individual activity. Learners are asked to mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt; at the end of the project the learner should join up the marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.

Evaluation chart (group)

This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week group activity. Each member of the group should choose a different colour and mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt. At the end of the project, each group member then joins up their marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.

Planning a group or team task

This resource can be used when planning a group or team task. It links particularly well to ASDAN's Short Course programmes.

Self-evaluation template

This generic self-evaluation template can be used by learners to evaluate almost any group activity. Learners are asked to record how they felt about the activity and pick out the best and worst bits, before reflecting on what they could do better next time. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.

Teamwork health check

This generic teamwork health check template can support a wide range of group activities. Learners are asked to come up with a list of agreed ground rules for good teamwork, then rate each group member's performance against these criteria. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.

Progression pathway
Sports and Fitness Short Course
Peer Mentoring Short Course
Towards Independence