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ASDAN is an education charity and awarding organisation providing courses, accredited curriculum programmes and regulated qualifications.

The phrase ‘achieve and thrive’ resonates deeply with school leaders. It speaks to an ambition that goes beyond exam results, towards ensuring that young people leave education equipped to move confidently into further learning, training, employment and adult life. 

As a former head teacher, I know how seriously leaders take this responsibility. The question is not whether schools care about what happens next for their pupils, but how effectively the system enables them to prepare learners for a world that is changing rapidly and unevenly. 

Now the CEO of the education charity and awarding organisation ASDAN, I hear a consistent message from the 3,000-plus schools in our membership: they want to do more to support successful transitions, but they need frameworks, partnerships and shared language that make this work coherent and sustainable. 

Leadership that looks beyond the school gate 

Thriving is often most visible at the point young people move on. Whether into further education, apprenticeships, employment or other pathways, transitions are where gaps in confidence, skills and support become most apparent. 

Leadership plays a critical role here. When leaders prioritise collaboration, they extend the learning environment beyond the classroom. Learners benefit from clearer pathways, more relevant experiences and a stronger sense of purpose. 

This kind of outward-facing leadership is not new. Many schools are already building local solutions that connect curriculum learning with real-world contexts. What is needed now is a system narrative that values and reinforces this work. 

Collaboration as preparation for life, not just learning 

Collaboration is often described as a key skill for learners. In practice, it is also the mechanism through which schools prepare them for what comes next.

Across ASDAN’s member schools, we see the impact of learning experiences that are developed in partnership projects that require teamwork, communication and problem-solving in authentic contexts. These approaches help learners understand themselves as capable contributors, not just successful students. 

Crucially, collaboration supports inclusion. Learners who may not thrive through traditional academic measures often demonstrate strengths when learning is applied, relational and connected to real-world outcomes. For many young people, these experiences are pivotal in shaping confidence and aspiration beyond school.

Modelling collaboration across the system

If we want young people to leave education ready to collaborate in the wider world, then collaboration must be visible at every level of the system.

At ASDAN, we see ourselves as part of this modelling. As a charity with inclusion at its heart, we work in close partnership with educators and sector organisations to co-create pathways that support progression and purpose. Our involvement in intersectoral collaboration – including globalbridge, Skills Builder and the Cross-Sector Lab – and our work alongside partners such as FED, Whole Education and the Education Collaborative reflect a shared commitment to helping young people move successfully into their next stage.

These partnerships are not about adding complexity, but about reducing fragmentation to give educators clearer tools to support learners’ journeys beyond compulsory education. 

Achieve and thrive: measured by what comes next 

A meaningful measure of success is whether young people leave education with a sense of direction, confidence and belonging. Thriving should be evident not only in school outcomes, but in sustained destinations and positive life trajectories.

For school leaders, this reinforces the importance of leadership that is values-led and future-focused. When collaboration is prioritised, and when learners are given meaningful opportunities to develop skills for life, transitions become less daunting and more hopeful. 

Working to secure young people’s futures 

My experience as a head teacher deeply informs me that schools cannot do this work alone. Educators need partners who understand the realities of school life and share a commitment to inclusion and progression. 

ASDAN’s purpose and passion lies in working alongside educators – listening to their experience, amplifying their voice and supporting approaches that help every young person find their next step. Through collaboration, applied learning and a relentless focus on purpose, we believe the sector can ensure that achieving in school leads to thriving beyond it. 

Ultimately, the measure of our education system is not only what young people achieve while they are with us, but how well they are prepared for the lives they go on to lead. When leadership is grounded in collaboration, inclusion and purpose, achieving in school becomes the foundation for thriving beyond it – a goal that should unite us all.