Personal Effectiveness Qualifications

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About this course

What are Personal Effectiveness Qualifications?

ASDAN’s Personal Effectiveness Qualifications (PEQ) are regulated, portfolio-based qualifications for learners aged 14 and over.

Available at Entry 3, Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 in Award, Extended Award and Certificate sizes, the qualifications provide a flexible way to develop and recognise transferable skills.

The flexible structure allows centres to select a qualification level, size and combination of units that reflect learners’ starting points, interests and progression goals.

The qualification units develop skills in:

  • learning 
  • communicating 
  • decision making 
  • thinking 
  • team working 
  • self-awareness 

Through practical, learner-centred activities and portfolio-based assessment, learners build confidence, independence and skills for further education, training, employment and adult life.

PEQ can support inclusive curriculum pathways, personal development, careers and employability education, work readiness and preparation for adulthood.

Information for centres moving from AoPE or CoPE

ASDAN’s Award of Personal Effectiveness (AoPE) and Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE) are closed to new registrations in England, Northern Ireland and international settings. Centres in Wales can continue to register learners for AoPE and CoPE until 30 September 2026.

ASDAN members approved to deliver AoPE or CoPE are automatically approved to deliver the PEQ suite, except for centres in Wales.

For registration, certification and withdrawal dates, please refer to the ASDAN qualifications information sheet.

External quality assurance in the first year of delivery

Centres must register learners and submit work for external quality assurance sampling during their first year of delivering PEQ, even if learners are not expected to complete their qualification during that year.

For guidance, please contact ASDAN's centre support team

Learner age 14+, 14–16, 14–25, 16+, 16–19, 19+, Adults
Level (indicative for non-regulated courses) Entry 3, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3
Key Stage Key Stage 4, Key Stage 5
Education setting Mainstream school, Justice system (including youth offending), Further education, Community Education, EOTAS, PRU, Academy / Multi-academy trust, Training provider, Adult education, Independent school, Secondary
Guided learning hours 20–60 hours, 60–100 hours, 100–180 hours
Regulated Qualification
Certification Externally certificated, hard-copy only
Location England, Northern Ireland, International (including Channel Islands and Ireland)
UCAS points UCAS points available
Available on Equitas No
Pathway Personal Effectiveness

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Helpful information
PEQ specification
PEQ flyer
PEQ assessment plan templates
ASDAN qualifications information sheet

Who are they for?

Personal Effectiveness Qualifications are designed for learners aged 14 and over. Level 3 qualifications are available to learners aged 16 and over.

They can be used with learners across a wide range of education and training settings and may be particularly valuable where a flexible, applied and portfolio-based qualification supports the learner’s needs and goals.

PEQ can support:

  • flexible Key Stage 4 and post-16 curriculum pathways
  • personal development and transferable skills
  • careers education and employability
  • preparation for adulthood and work readiness
  • re-engagement with learning
  • progression to further education, training or employment
  • learners with additional needs or SEND
  • learners who benefit from practical, portfolio-based assessment.

There are no formal entry requirements. Centres should carry out an initial assessment before registering each learner to determine the most appropriate qualification level and size.

Progression opportunities

Learners may progress to: 

  • a larger or higher-level Personal Effectiveness Qualification 
  • another ASDAN qualification at the same or a higher level
  • further education or training (eg moving from school to college or to higher education)
  • a work placement or an apprenticeship
  • employment

Funding, performance points and UCAS Tariff points

Personal Effectiveness Qualifications at Entry 3, Level 1 and Level 2 are approved for funding in England and Northern Ireland for eligible learners aged 14–16. Performance points are available for qualifications regulated in Northern Ireland. 

Selected Level 3 ASDAN qualifications carry UCAS Tariff points. Funding eligibility, performance measures and UCAS information can change. Centres should check the latest information before making curriculum, registration or funding decisions.

Qualification details can be found on the Register of Regulated Qualifications. Current funding and performance point information is available from:

  • List of qualifications approved for funding (Ofqual-regulated)
  • NIEFQAN (qualifications regulated by CCEA Regulation)
  • UCAS tariff information

Structure

To achieve a Personal Effectiveness Qualification, learners must complete a set number of credits. One credit refers to approximately 10 hours of learning, including assessment.

Members can select units that suit their learners’ needs and interests.

Learners can achieve a combination of units from the level of the qualification and from either the level above or the level below it. Please refer to the specification document for details about rules of combination.

If a learner achieves more credits than allowed at a higher level, this may lead to a different qualification outcome. Members unsure about the likely result should contact info@asdan.org.uk for guidance.

If a learner does not achieve enough credits to complete a qualification, they will receive certification for the units they have achieved.

Become a member

To deliver this course, your organisation must be an ASDAN member. Visit our membership page to find out what is included and how to apply.

Register your interest in ASDAN membership

Create a cohort

Once your organisation is an ASDAN member and has approval to deliver this course, you can create a cohort of learners in the members’ area. You will need to specify a course coordinator, the expected completion date and the number of learners taking the course.

Learners should be registered within 60 days of starting any ASDAN course and before any assessment takes place.

Access the members' area

Access resources

ASDAN provides a wide range of supporting resources, including course standards with guidance and assessment materials. All resources related to your course can be found on the course webpage.

Quality assurance

All ASDAN courses are assessed through portfolios or projects, instead of exams. Appropriate internal quality assurance (IQA) and external quality assurance (EQA) will take place according to the course and you will be guided on this by our team.

ASDAN training provides guidance on qualification planning, delivery, assessment and internal quality assurance. It is not mandatory but is strongly recommended.

Centres are responsible for ensuring staff are appropriately skilled and meet the requirements in the qualification specification.

Training is included as part of ASDAN membership for organisations joining or renewing after 1 April 2026, excluding tailored INSET.

Book training in the members area

ASDAN Qualification Assessment Planning 

Three free training videos explain what assessment plans are, how to complete them and how to manage assessment planning across learner cohorts.

Access the course

All candidate registration costs shown below are per candidate, unless otherwise stated.

Item Price
Personal Effectiveness Qualification – all levels and sizes  £40

Public funding for ASDAN qualifications delivered in the UK

Some qualifications are approved for public funding for eligible learners. Funding status can change. Members should check the current government qualification record for the relevant level and size before registering learners or making funding decisions.

Course resources

CoPE Level 1 and 2 challenges for PEQ

Members may use and adapt challenges from ASDAN's previous qualifications. ASDAN recognises that the previous qualifications do not include specific challenges at Entry 3, however members can adapt challenges to suit.

CoPE Level 3 challenges for PEQ

Members may use and adapt challenges from ASDAN's previous qualifications. ASDAN recognises that the previous qualifications do not include specific challenges at Entry 3, however members can adapt challenges to suit.

PSE Levels 1 and 2 challenges for PEQ

Members may use and adapt challenges from ASDAN's previous qualifications. ASDAN recognises that the previous qualifications do not include specific challenges at Entry 3, however members can adapt challenges to suit.

PEQ challenges

ASDAN has developed these challenges specifically for PEQ in a standardised format. This challenge bank will be added to over time. Currently 16 challenges are available covering a range of topic areas including English, mathematics and environmental.

Progression pathway
Foundation Project Qualification Level 1
Higher Project Qualification Level 2
Extended Project Qualification Level 3