ASDAN is a pioneering curriculum development organisation and awarding body, offering programmes and qualifications that explicitly grow skills for learning, skills for employment and skills for life.
Developed and managed by practitioners, ASDAN grew out of research work at the University of the West of England in the 1980s and was formally established as an educational charity in 1991.
ASDAN's charitable purpose is: “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.” A charitable fund offering grants is in place to support ‘the relief of poverty’.
Today ASDAN provides support to thousands of registered centres (mostly schools and colleges) throughout the UK and in other countries, publishes more than 200 resource titles, supervises the moderation procedures for all its courses, and develops new curriculum programmes, resources and qualifications in response to the needs of the profession.
Key Stage 4 and 6th Form work towards ASDAN.