Building a culture
of achievement
The impact of the pursuit of CoPE
(the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness) on
GCSE attainment and engagement in learning.
Why does CoPE work?
Looking at the quantitative and the qualitative, the hard facts and the anecdotes:
Small steps
Plan, do, review
Experiential
learning
Reward
Guided reflection
Real (concrete) to abstract
Choice
Negotiation
Credit for non-formal and
informal learning
Why does CoPE work?
Looking at the quantitative and the qualitative, the hard facts and the anecdotes:
Simple conceptual language
Easy to scaffold
Differentiated by outcome
Easy to demonstrate
progress
Core transferrable skills:
• Communication
• Working with Others
• Improving own Learning
and Performance
• Problem Solving
• Applied Numeracy
• Applied IT
Growing
independent
learning
Relationship to current government imperatives,
social trends and employer demands?
“…We are not expecting schools to do the impossible. We are
realistic. We will continue to take into account the school
context and the difference the school is making for the pupils.
So when we make our judgement on “achievement”, inspectors
will take into account both the attainment and the progress of
pupils, with progress being at the heart of the judgement.
Let me be absolutely clear about this: of course, raw examination
results matter, but they alone will not determine our inspection
judgements…”
Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector,
to the ASCL conference on 22 March 2012
How can CoPE work for you?
Measuring expected progress in English KS2-KS4:
(The same table can be applied to progress in maths)
How can CoPE work for you?
Completing CoPE is associated with a significantly higher
propensity to attempt GCSE English among young people who
achieved Level 2 or Level 3 in English at KS2 - i.e below average.
For example, 70.4% of those who achieved Level 2 attempted
GCSE English, but the figure was 92.6% of those also taking
CoPE.
As a result, completing CoPE is also associated with a
significantly higher pass rate at grades A* to C in GCSE English
among young people who achieved Level 2, 3 or 4 in English
at KS2.
How can CoPE work for you?
Within this, the failure rate (i.e. a U grade as opposed to a non-attempt) for those
attaining Level 2 in English is nearly halved (from 5.1% to 2.8%) for those completing
CoPE, while it is reduced by around two-thirds for Level 3 (from 1.4% to 0.4%).
How can CoPE work for you?
Option 4 GCSE/VOC
Option 3 GCSE/VOC
Option 2 GCSE/VOC
Option 1 GCSE/VOC
Science (double)
Mathematics
English (Lang + Lit)
From 2014 onwards at GCSE:
Core offer of qualifications that ‘count’
in performance measures
>90% of available curriculum time
CoPE
Accrediting PSHE,
careers, PE, RE and
non-formal learning
Qualification ‘outside’ the performance
measures having a profound impact ‘within’ the
performance measures
How can CoPE work for you?
Option 4 GCSE/VOC
Option 3 GCSE/VOC
Option 2 GCSE/VOC
Option 1 GCSE/VOC
Science (double)
Mathematics
English (Lang + Lit)
From 2014 onwards at GCSE:
CoPE
Accrediting PSHE,
careers, PE, RE and
non-formal learning
CoPE challenges in all or some subjects
Core offer of qualifications that ‘count’
in performance measures
>90% of available curriculum time
Qualification ‘outside’ the performance
measures having a profound impact ‘within’ the
performance measures
How can CoPE work for you?
Option 4 GCSE/VOC
Option 3 GCSE/VOC
Option 2 GCSE/VOC
Option 1 GCSE/VOC
Science (double)
Mathematics
English (Lang + Lit)
From Year 9 onwards:
CoPE
Accrediting PSHE,
careers, PE, RE and
non-formal learning
Starting formally in Year 9 (informally even
earlier) to get maximum benefit from skills
growth, development and accreditation.
How can CoPE work for you?
As an option at GCSE:
How can CoPE work for you?
Option 4 CoPE
Option 3 GCSE/VOC
Option 2 GCSE/VOC
Option 1 GCSE/VOC
Science (double)
Mathematics
English (Lang + Lit)
As an option at GCSE:
As a freestanding
option for all
students
The disadvantage of having a ‘non-scoring’
qualification is outweighed by enhanced
performance in core subjects
How can CoPE work for you?
CoPE Level 3
Option 4 GCSE/VOC
Option 3 GCSE/VOC
Option 2 GCSE/VOC
Option 1 GCSE/VOC
Science (double)
Mathematics
English (Lang + Lit)
Creates a ‘Baccalaureate-like’
experience alongside conventional A
Levels
Mathematics
A Levels
A Levels
A Levels
or Vocational
English (Lang + Lit)
Post-16:
CoPE Level 2
Can be used as part of a
programme of study to
support English and Maths
GCSE retakes
Relationship to current government imperatives,
social trends and employer demands?
Employers in our survey are very clear
about the outcomes they want from the
education and skills system. There is a
need to ensure school leavers entering a
tough labour market have the underlying
skills needed for success in any job – over
two thirds (70%) of employers want
action to improve the employability skills
of school leavers, while 63% want action
to raise standards of literacy and
numeracy.
CBI (Confederation of British Industry),
Education and Skills Survey, 2010
ASDAN Education: Future developments
and collaborative projects
ASDAN working in partnership with the
Historical and Geographical Associations
to develop new Short Courses:
• Active learning
• Local curriculum
• Engaging
• Skill building
• Up to 6 credits transfer into CoPE
ASDAN Education: Future developments
and collaborative projects
ASDAN working in partnership with the
Independent Schools Association (ISA)
and the National Association for Gifted
Children and their families (NAGC)
• Active learning
• Recognises, acknowledges and supports
gifted and talented performance
• Engaging and challenging
• Skill building
• Close relationship with, and transfer
of achievement into, ASDAN
qualifications
ASDAN Education: in partnership
Key Messages
ASDAN’s CoPE (Certificate of Personal Effectiveness) is
more than a qualification
•It is a curriculum framework to accredit formal and
non-formal learning, inside and outside the classroom
•It is a broad, flexible array of active learning challenges enabling
the progressive development of personal and employability skills
•Most critically, when these skills are developed and accredited
with the rigour only a qualification can bring, there is now
compelling evidence of a link between completing CoPE and
achievement beyond expectations in other GCSE subjects
© ASDAN 2012
ASDAN, Wainbrook House, Hudds Vale Road,
St George, Bristol BS5 7HY
Tel: 0117 941 1126 Fax: 0117 935 1112
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