ASDAN accreditation support

Please note, general information about ASDAN can be found here.

Aimhigher ASDAN Accreditation Support Project (February 2008 onward) [1]

In February 2008, HEFCE invited Aimhigher Area Partnerships to consider working with ASDAN on a two year development project to embed the accreditation and recognition of Aimhigher related activity in schools and colleges from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 5. This project forms an element in the overall strategic planning process for the next phase of Aimhigher.

Aimhigher Area Partnerships were invited to make an application for participation in the project by committing a sum of £16,500 (+ vat) for each of two years to work with ASDAN staff on the embedding of Aimhigher ASDAN Accreditation beginning from Key Stage 2 (if required) through to Key Stage 5 (through the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness Levels 1-3). HEFCE is providing an additional £33,000 (+VAT) for each of the two years to support the development project.

One Aimhigher Area Partnership proposal, from Coventry & Warwickshire, was selected from the applications received to conduct this work with ASDAN. The pilot will focus on utilising the ASDAN accreditation support materials, available across Key Stages 2-5, to link with the development of the Higher Education Progression Framework and to support the uptake of Aimhigher activity in the 11-19 mainstream education reform agenda (including the Diploma) being addressed by Local Authorities/Childrens’ Services at classroom and learner level.

For more information about the ASDAN Aimhigher Awards & accreditation support information, please view the below document.

Additional information

(PLEASE NOTE: The following information has been supplied by ASDAN)

National Context

* From September 2008 Entry, the UCAS ‘How to Apply’ Guidance to Applicants under the heading ‘Your Personal Statement’ suggests inclusion of:

“Details of any accreditation received for your activity in preparation for higher education, for example through the ASDAN Aimhigher Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE qualification).”

* The CoPE qualification provides for progression from level 1 to level 3 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

* From 3,300 learners on the Aimhigher national pilot in 2005, there are now over 100,000 candidates registered for CoPE across the country.

* Achievement at Level 3 of CoPE has been ascribed 70 UCAS tariff points.

* CoPE is also a qualification outcome for the QCA’s personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS) framework used in the Diploma and is appropriate for all learners whether involved in the Diploma or other qualification pathways. (See: QCA Guidelines on the Diploma - Recording personal, learning and thinking skills QCA, January 08, page 15) [2].

In addition to the CoPE qualification, and providing progression into it, the ASDAN Aimhigher national activity project has produced additional accreditation support materials focussed on indicative learner activities related to Aimhigher from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 5.(See examples of indicative learner activity given below under Specified Project Activity Summary).

At Key Stage 2, for example, the Aimhigher module forms part of the ASDAN ‘Stepping Stones’ Award, and at Key Stage 4 the Aimhigher short course provides an activity programme that accumulates credit towards the CoPE GCSE equivalent qualification. (See the below information brochure) [3].