Stepping Stones to success
05 March 2010
ASDAN re-launches personal skills programme for primary children
On Tuesday 2nd March, ASDAN re-launched its successful Stepping Stones award for primary school children, to meet the new government requirements for personal, social and health education (PSHE).
CBBC presenter Johny Pitts joined schoolchildren in Southwark to re-launch the revised Stepping Stones programme, which includes topics such as tobacco awareness and relationship education, and which helps prepare children for the transition to secondary school.
ASDAN’s Stepping Stones programme has been revised to be one of the first primary school courses to meet the requirements of the new PSHE curriculum, which is likely to become compulsory in all schools from 2011. The revised programme helps prepare teachers to deal with the unique demands of this subject. Furthermore, the modules in the course are flexible, so schools can tailor them to their individual needs.
It is used very successfully with Transition work, providing curriculum links and a confidence booster for youngsters moving from primary to secondary school. Secondary schools can continue with the programme as a ‘stepping stone’ into more ASDAN awards and then on into qualifications in personal skill development.
ASDAN awards acknowledge and reward all the amazing things young people do that so often go unrecognised. Through their activities, the young people learn to identify and record the personal skills they are developing such as teamwork and problem solving.
For the Stepping Stones award, children carry out a range of challenges, developing their skills through meaningful and exciting activities. Modules cover such diverse topics as how to live healthy lives, cultural diversity, personal finance, citizenship and environmental awareness. Through the programme, the children can be rewarded for all of their successes, both in and out of school, such as helping to redecorate a room at home or raising funds for charity.
According to Maggie Walker, Director of Curriculum at ASDAN, programmes such as Stepping Stones boost children’s learning skills at a crucial age. She explains:
“The activities the children do as part of the Stepping Stones programme encourage them to take responsibility for their learning, both in and out of the classroom, and help them recognise the skills they are developing along the way. This sets them onto a really good lifelong learning path, which will take them through primary school, secondary school and into adult life.”
When personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, becomes compulsory in 2011, Maggie believes there will be a significant rise in the number of schools offering the ASDAN Stepping Stones course.
Epping Upland C of E Primary School has been using the Stepping Stones programme since 2005. Cathy Newland, Deputy Head, said:
“Stepping Stones really benefits and motivates the children. They become skilled in thinking for themselves, being innovative, putting forward their own ideas and listening to others’ ideas.”
Johny Pitts is supporting ASDAN in re-launching the updated version of the Stepping Stones programme this week. He explains:
“I’m bowled over by some of the projects I’ve heard about today – from working with the police on traffic speeds and road safety awareness, to getting involved in Fair Trade, to bringing together the community for a big litter tidy up. You just learn a lot about how the world works and what every single person can do towards making a difference.
It goes to show that you should never underestimate what children can achieve given the opportunity. The Stepping Stones programme gives young children such a good start to their development as individual learners – and they seem to have so much fun too!”
Notes:
• ASDAN is an educational charity specialising in practical learning with 30 years’ experience developing courses for young people. It is one of the country’s leading skills-based accreditation bodies.
• ASDAN students choose modules in an area of interest and work in groups or independently to complete projects, helping them learn how to manage their own workload and meet deadlines effectively.
• Stepping Stones meets the requirements of:
• PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) and Citizenship Education in Primary Schools (and also touches on other National Curriculum and enrichment areas to promote a cross-curricular approach)
• Every Child Matters
• Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL)
• The recommendations from the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum by Sir Jim Rose
• Children's Secretary Ed Balls has announced that parents will no longer be able to withdraw children over the age of 15 from personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. The move is part of government plans to make PSHE compulsory in all maintained primary and secondary schools by 2011, so that all children have access to information on body image, personal finances, alcohol and drugs, and sex and relationships.