The ACE team, using national research from colleges, employers and life-skills organisations, have identified the key six skills that best help prepare students for transition into a successful adulthood.

The six core skills have been built into the ACE curriculum and all students are measured every lesson against these six targets. The students coach will talk to the student in terms of developing these six key skills and a weekly report is sent to parents / schools.

A student’s progress is tracked over time and additional support and interventions can be provided to ensure that every student has the best possible opportunity to develop in these six core areas.

The Six Skills for Success 

Emotional Regulation: optimism, emotional control, resilience

• I am interested in doing my best
• I am developing strategies to manage frustration
• I am able to manage stress and anxiety
• I can keep my feelings and behaviours separate
• I can stay calm, stay positive, stay polite

Task performance: Achieve, responsible, self-control, persistence

• I am positive and enthusiastic about my learning
• I show a positive attitude towards learning
• I am able to avoid distractions
• I am developing focus and concentration skills
• I will ask for and accept help if needed
• I will look at what I need to do, to keep doing better

Open mindedness: Curiosity, tolerance, creativity

• I am open to trying / learning new things
• I am open to different point of views
• I learn from my successes and my mistakes
• I am prepared to try again
• I show how interested I am

Engagement with others: Sociability, assertiveness, energy

• I have the ability to voice my opinions
• I understand the needs and feelings of others
• I try and influence others positively
• I try and avoid being influenced negatively
• I can be patient

Collaboration: Working together, empathy, co-operation

• I am cooperating with rules and regulations
• I let learning take place
• I work well with other students
• I work well with any staff (help them to help me)
• I trust and support others
• I have empathy towards other people

Time management: Keeping to deadlines, organising myself, being on time

• I have good attendance
• My time keeping (punctuality) is good
• I can set myself deadlines and keep to them
• I make good choices about my priorities
• I use my time to its best to get to my goals