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The A-level, short for Advanced Level, is a General Certificate of Education qualification in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, usually taken by students during the optional final two years of secondary school (Years 12 & 13*, commonly called the Sixth Form except for Scotland), or at a separate sixth form college or further education college, after they have completed GCSE or IGCSE exams. The General Certificate of Education or GCE is a secondary-level academic qualification that Examination boards in the United Kingdom confer to students Education in England is the responsibility of the Department for Children Schools and Families and the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills of the Education in Northern Ireland differs slightly from systems used elsewhere in the United Kingdom, though is more similar to that used in England and Wales than it Education in Wales differs in certain respects from the systems used elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational Institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling known as Secondary education, takes The sixth form, in the English, Welsh and Northern Irish education systems Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Belize A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Hong Kong or Malta where students aged 16 Further education (often abbreviated "FE" is Post-secondary Education (in addition to that received at Secondary school) that is distinct from The General Certificate of Secondary Education ( GCSE) is the name of an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject generally taken in a number of subjects by The International General Certificate of Secondary Education, or IGCSE, is an international Qualification for School Students. The qualification is recognized around the world and is used as a sort of entrance exam for some universities. (In Northern Ireland, classes are numbered differently - the final two years of optional secondary education are called Year "13" and "14". )

It is a non-compulsory qualification taken by students in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of In Scotland, students usually take Highers and Advanced Highers of the Scottish Qualifications Certificate. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. In Scotland the Higher ( Scottish Gaelic: An Àrd Ìre) is one of the national school-leaving certificate exams and university entrance qualifications of The Advanced Higher ( Scottish Gaelic: An Àrd Ìre Adhartach) is an optional qualification which forms part of the Scottish Secondary education The Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC is the successor to the Scottish Certificate of Education in Scotland, and is the main educational qualification awarded However, a small minority of schools offer the A-level as an alternative (usually private schools).

A-levels are also taken in some Commonwealth countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Commonwealth Caribbean, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Singapore,[1] Zimbabwe, Malawi, Gibraltar, Brunei, New Zealand, Malta, Zambia and South Africa. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The term Anglophone Caribbean is used to refer to the independent English -speaking countries of the Caribbean region Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Singapore See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election The Republic of Malawi (məˈlɑːwi or; formerly Nyasaland) is in southern Africa. Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands The Republic of Zambia (ˈzæmbɪə is a Landlocked country in Southern Africa. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa In India, the same system is followed, though the names of the exams are different. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Due to respective changes in the systems, these examinations differ both in terms of content and style from the A-levels taken in the United Kingdom but the standard remains relatively the same. Nevertheless, the British GCE A-levels are taken all around the world, as many international schools choose to use the British system as the examinations are widely recognised. An International school is loosely defined as a School that does not require their students to learn the national or local language of the country the school is located in Furthermore, students may choose to sit the papers of British examination bodies at education centres such as British Councils around the world.

Contents

Overview and history

A-levels were first introduced in 1951,[2] replacing the previous award, the Higher School Certificate (HSC). The Higher School Certificate (HSC was a United Kingdom educational attainment standard Qualification, established in 1918 by the Secondary Schools Examination In 1987, Advanced Supplementary levels (abbreviated AS-level), worth half of a full A-level, were introduced to encourage students to broaden their knowledge of other areas. These were of the same academic standard of a full A-level (i. e. the topics were studied in the same amount of depth), but covered a narrower range of topics. [3] The most recent changes to A-levels began in 2000, when the government introduced Curriculum 2000 which split the A-level into two parts, the AS (Advanced Subsidiary) and A2 examinations. Curriculum 2000 was a reform of the A-level examination in the United Kingdom. [4] The former is generally taken in Year 12 (Year 13 in Northern Ireland) also known as "lower sixth" and the latter is generally taken in Year 13 (Year 14 in Northern Ireland) which is also known as "upper sixth". Satisfactory achievement in AS and A2 modules results in the award of an A-level qualification. It is possible to sit only AS modules in which case only an AS-level qualification would be gained, this is given half the number of points of a full A-level on the UCAS tariff points system. UCAS ( Universities & Colleges Admissions Service, pronounced " ʏwk{{sc||A}}s " 'juːkæs is a Clearing house for applications to almost Advanced Subsidiary levels, although replacing and sharing the same abbreviation as the previous Advanced Supplementary levels, are not the same. The current AS-levels are still worth half of a full A-level, but, contrary to the old AS-levels, cover the same breadth of the subject but in less depth. The old AS-levels were also not a prerequisite for the corresponding A-level and were examined separately (as the modular system had not been introduced at the time).

While A-levels are a qualification in their own right, they are often the prerequisite for university-level study as well,[5] making them a de facto university entrance examination, though some universities also require applicants to take separate entrance examinations and the International Baccalaureate and European Baccalaureate are also accepted. The International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma Programme (DP is an Educational programme examined in one of three languages ( English, French or Spanish The European Baccalaureate (" Bac " is awarded to students who successfully managed to complete a European School. Universities in the United Kingdom frequently demand that applicants achieve a minimum set of grades in A-level examinations, or the equivalent in other examination systems, before accepting them. While the government has rejected plans to introduce an English Baccalaureate modelled on the International Baccalaureate, it has introduced a Welsh Baccalaureate studies in Wales, based on the French Baccalaureate; but it has yet to be introduced in the rest of Great Britain despite favourable comments by the Welsh Assembly to the British Government. The Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification, also known as WBQ or Welsh Bac, is a pre-university qualification which will be offered in the future to schools and colleges The baccalauréat (bakaloʁeˈa often known in France colloquially as le bac or le bachôt, is an academic qualification which See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands The National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at

Grades and grading history

Originally, A-levels only distinguished between a pass and a fail, although fails were divided into two types: one meaning that the student had failed a subject at A-level but passed at the O-level equivalent of that subject, and the other meaning that the student had not passed at either A-level or O-level. The O-level (Ordinary Level is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education (GCE In 1953, another grade was introduced: the distinction, for high passes. Due to complaints from universities that the grading system was not specific enough to identify the students they wanted, a grading scale close to the current one was created in 1963, which retained an O-level pass between the grades E and F (Fail). [2] They also introduced norm-referenced grading, which meant that only a certain proportion of candidates will achieve certain grades—10% A, 15% B, 10% C, 15% D, 20% E and a further 20% allowed an O-level pass. [6] In 1984, the Secondary Examinations Council advised that grade boundaries should be based on the partition of the mark scale rather than on proportions of candidates, in a move towards a criterion-referenced system. Examiner judgement was to be the basis for the award of grades B and E, with the remaining grades determined by dividing the mark range between these two points into equal intervals. This system was introduced in 1987 and remained in force until the introduction of the new curriculum in 2000. [7] With the introduction of the new system and the replacement of the O-levels with the GCSE , the O-level pass was dropped, replaced by a grade N, standing for "Near miss", which was a much narrower denotation for candidates who failed to achieve the minimum standard for an A-level pass by only a few marks. The General Certificate of Secondary Education ( GCSE) is the name of an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject generally taken in a number of subjects by The grade F was also replaced by a grade U. With the increase in the modular structure of the A-level examinations, the retention of the grade N was considered unnecessary as there was far more information to indicate how close a candidate was towards achieving a pass based on the modules taken. Therefore, with the introduction of the new revised A-levels in 2001 under Curriculum 2000, the grade N was finally dropped.

In the current system, A-levels are graded from A to E. [8] The raw mark in papers are converted to marks on a Uniform Mark Scale (UMS), so that every A-level subject has a maximum of 600 UMS marks, and every AS-level subject 300. Each grade requires a specific percentage of the UMS points available in both the A- and AS-levels:

Grade Percentage
A* 91% - 100%
A 80% - 90%
B 70% - 79%
C 60% - 69%
D 50% - 59%
E 40% - 49%

[8]

Demographics

In the UK, A-level results have risen for 25 years in a row, with a 2005 pass rate (A–E) of 96. 2%. [9] For the June 2005 series, a total of 783,878 (554,594 male, 229,284 female) candidates received their full A-level results;[10] for the AS-level, it was 1,079,566 (492,248 male, 587,318 female). [11] 22. 8% of A-level final results were graded A; 23. 8%, B; 23. 3%, C; 17. 2%, D; 9. 1%, E; and 3. 8% were not graded (U). [12] The most popular subject, from most A-levels achieved to least, were: English (all combined) (85,858: 11%), General Studies (59,403: 7. 6%), Biology (53,968: 6. 9%), Mathematics (52,897: 6. 7%), Psychology (50,035: 6. 4%). [10] Further Mathematics was the subject with most A grades as a percentage, 58%. [13] In general, languages, science and mathematics subjects tended to yield the highest proportion of A grades. [10] Over the last few years, languages and sciences have declined relative to other subjects such as Psychology and Media Studies. [14] Full A-level grades are higher than AS-level grades;[15] for example, 22. 8% of A-level grades are graded A compared to 17. 9% at AS-level. [16]. [11]

Research from Durham University found A-levels were graded "more severely" in mathematics, sciences and modern languages than in humanities and arts. [17] Researchers called for applicants' results to be "weighed" when being offered places. Dr. Robert Coe, director of the educational evaluation group at Durham's curriculum, management and evaluation centre, said: "It is perfectly clear from our research that two A-levels are not equal, with some more severely graded than others. Dr. Coe and Prof. Peter Tymms's study found that students with a grade B at GCSE in History, Economics, Geography, English Language and Literature, Sociology and Business Studies went on to score a grade C on average in those subjects at A-level. But those with a grade B at GCSE in Maths, Computing, German, French, Chemistry, Physics and Biology were more likely to score a grade D at A-level. Dr. Coe said students avoid hard subjects at A-level in favour of ones where they had more chance of getting top grades.

Studying A-levels

The number of A-level exams taken by students can vary, though generally not in the state sector in which around 90% of students are educated. State school is an expression used in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to distinguish schools provided by the government from privately A typical route is to study four subjects at AS-level and then drop down to three at A2 level, although some students continue with their fourth subject. Three is usually the minimum number of A-levels required for university entrance, with some universities specifying the need for a fourth AS subject. There is no limit on the number of A-levels one can study (except in Singapore, where students are restricted to 12"academic units" and private candidates are also limited in their number of subjects), some students do obtain five or more A-levels. It is permissible to take A-levels in languages one already speaks fluently, or courses with overlapping content. General Studies and Critical Thinking, which require a grasp of basic political ideas and current affairs in order to write essays rather than specific learning, sometimes augment a student's batch of qualifications. Critical thinking consists of mental processes of discernment, Analysis and Evaluation. While many universities do not consider an A-level in General Studies to be a stand-alone subject (and thus is not accepted as part of an offer), it may affect the offer which a student receives. For example, a student of Mathematics, Physics and Computing might receive an offer of B-B-C for a Physics degree, whereas one also taking General Studies might receive B-C-C. Unlike A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, which aims to improve student's analytical skills, has generally received a more positive reception from universities. Often it is given a UCAS tariff score unlike General Studies and some University admissions tutors see it is an advantage when applying for competitive courses. [3]

Compared with the curricula of high schools in the United States, the A-level system provides more depth into the subjects being studied - and often A-levels can be used as points that count towards their degree. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the However, the A-level has been criticised for providing less breadth since many A-level students do not generally study more than 3 subjects in their final year. [18] A major part of this criticism is that, while a 3 or 4 subject curriculum can be balanced across the spectrum (e. g. , students may choose one science subject, a language subject, and a "creative" subject like Music), in many cases students choose three closely-linked subjects, for instance, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry or Sociology, Psychology and Politics. Music is an Art form in which the medium is Sound organized in Time. This is in part due to university entrance requirements, which, for degree programs such as medicine, may require three related A-level subjects. Thus, while the purpose of Curriculum 2000 was to encourage students to undertake contrasting subjects, to broaden their 'skill-base', there is a tendency to pursue similar disciplines. However, others disagree, arguing that the additional AS-level(s) studied would already have provided more breadth compared with the old system. The A-levels' breadth also pale in comparison to the International Baccalaureate, which examines in six subjects, or the European Baccalaureate, which examines in at least 10 subjects. The International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma Programme (DP is an Educational programme examined in one of three languages ( English, French or Spanish The European Baccalaureate (" Bac " is awarded to students who successfully managed to complete a European School.

Curriculum 2000

Main article: Curriculum 2000

Following the introduction of Curriculum 2000 in September 2000 (with the first AS-level examinations held in Summer 2001 and A2 examinations the following year), an A-level now consists of six modules studied over two years. Curriculum 2000 was a reform of the A-level examination in the United Kingdom. Curriculum 2000 was a reform of the A-level examination in the United Kingdom. Normally, three modules are assessed at the end of the first year, and make up a stand-alone qualification called the "AS-level" (or Advanced Subsidiary level, not to be confused with an older AS-level, the Advanced Supplementary level). Another three modules are assessed at the end of the second year, which make up the "A2". A2 modules do not form a qualification in their own right; the satisfactory completion of the AS and A2 modules in the same subject is required to constitute a complete A-level. Modules are assessed by exam papers marked by national organisations and internally-assessed coursework. Coursework is carried out by Students at University or middle / High school that contributes towards their overall Grade, but which

The introduction of the new GCE Applied A-level suite, taken from the old VCE A-levels, generally have a more vocational twist to them. For example, the new GCE A-level in Applied Business combines the traditional theory based subject 'Business Studies' (which can be studied as an A-level itself) and adds a more practical and hands-on approach to it. In this case, for the mandatory modules in the AS year, the candidate is expected to create a simulated Marketing Proposal (module 1) and Recruitment and motivational package (module 2) as opposed to just studying the processes. This essentially asks the candidate to show a more thorough insight by actually applying the theory. Given that many universities have shown a dislike to vocational subjects as opposed to the traditional ones, their reaction to the new applied suite remains to be seen. However, considering the subject is now much broader and more 'student-friendly' it is hoped that universities will see that this subject is no less than the traditional Business Studies given that the traditional aspect of the subject is not fully lost. The new GCE Applied A-levels are available in: Art and Design; ICT; Business and Science.

Because most students taking their ASs had just come from their GCSEs and know that they have their A2s the following year many are disheartened and don't feel 'bothered' to sit down and study for these exams. Many would prefer to have the older VCE system back so that they have, like in GCSE, two years to complete their courses and study for their exams. Exam stress usually takes place in around March or April when they realise they have a month or two until their exams. This builds pressure on the students and can lead to them not doing so well in their examinations.

Examination boards

A-level examinations are administered through a series of examination boards. An examination board is an organization that sets Examinations and is responsible for marking them and distributing results These were originally based on the major UK universities but have over the last 50 years merged into five very large organisations, the AQA, OCR, Edexcel, the Welsh Joint Education Committee, and the CCEA. AQA ( Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) is an Examination board in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. OCR ( Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations) is an Examination board that sets Examinations and awards qualifications (including GCSEs Edexcel is a London -based for-profit company and one of England, Wales and Northern Ireland 's five main Examination boards The The WJEC ( Welsh Joint Education Committee) ( Welsh: CBAC ( Cyd-Bwyllgor Addysg Cymru) is an Examination board traditionally serving The Council for the Curriculum Examinations & Assessment ( CCEA) is an Examination board in Northern Ireland. Some of these boards also offer A-levels to international students.

In the UK it is customary for schools to register with multiple examination boards and to 'mix and match' A-levels to get a combined curriculum that fits the school profile. Schools outside the UK are often unaware that registration with one examination board generally makes registration with them all a 'pro forma' exercise, all A-levels in the British system, being considered exactly equivalent.

A-levels in British university admissions

Because A-level students often apply to universities before they have taken their final exams, British universities (including Scottish universities, which receive many applicants taking A-levels) consider predicted A-level results when deciding whether applicants should be offered places. The predictions are made by students' teachers and can be unreliable. Thus, the acceptance of a student onto a course will normally be conditional on him or her actually achieving a minimum set of grades (for example, conditional offer of three A-levels at grades B-B-C). Universities may specify which subjects they wish these grades to be in (for example, conditional offer of grades A-A-B with a grade A in Mathematics). A-level grades are also sometimes converted into numerical scores, notably through the UCAS university admission system. UCAS ( Universities & Colleges Admissions Service, pronounced " ʏwk{{sc||A}}s " 'juːkæs is a Clearing house for applications to almost [19] For example, under the UCAS system, an A grade at A-level is worth 120 points, while a B is worth 100, a C is worth 80, and a D is 60, and so on; so a university may instead demand that an applicant achieve 280 points, instead of the equivalent offer of B-B-C. This allows greater flexibility to students, as 280 points could also, for example, be achieved through the combination A-B-D, which would not have met the requirements of a B-B-C offer because of the D grade. The points system also allows for non-academic input, such as higher level music grades or a Key Skills course.

Criticisms and Reform

In the UK, the average grades achieved by A-level candidates have been steadily rising for 25 years in a row. [20] The government and teaching bodies maintain that the improved grades represent higher levels of achievement due to improved and more experienced teaching methods,[21][22] but many educationalists and elements of the popular press argue that the change is due to grade inflation and the examination's getting easier. Grade inflation is the supposed increase over time of academic grades, faster than any real increase in standards [23] A third view is that, as schools come under increasing pressure to improve their examination results, pupils are being coached to pass specific examinations, at the expense of a general understanding of their subjects. [24] Still another view is that, as the cost to an examination board of changing a subject's syllabus is very high, they are reluctant to do so, leading to a lengthy period over which exam questions will inevitably be very similar and so teaching towards their likely content will be more successful. An examination board is an organization that sets Examinations and is responsible for marking them and distributing results Yet another view is that, because of the new changes introduced in Curriculum 2000, where students are examined in both years of sixth form, less academically able students drop subjects they find difficult resulting in better candidate self-selection and enabling students achieving less than desired grades to retake specific modules. [24] The ability of unlimited resits, with the best mark going through, has improved results. [25] According to some, students selecting "easier" subjects instead of "harder" ones have also contributed to this rise. [26][27][28]

Universities in Britain have constantly complained that the increasing number of A grades awarded makes it hard to distinguish between students at the upper end of the ability spectrum. [29] The C grade was originally intended to represent the average ability, and students typically required 60% or higher across all assessments to attain it; however, the average result is now at the lower end of the B grade, rendering this measure almost meaningless. Thus, many universities now have their own entrance tests such as the BMAT and LNAT for specific courses or interviews to distinguish between applicants. The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT is an Aptitude test used as part of the admissions process for Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or Physiological The LNAT or National Admissions Test for Law, is an admissions aptitude test that was adopted in 2004 by eight UK University law programs as In 2005, the head of admissions at the University of Cambridge outlined changes[30] he believed should be made to the current system, particularly the use of the Advanced Extension Awards, a top-up qualification that tests the most-able students some of the harder content in their A-level courses. The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the The Advanced Extension Awards are qualifications They were introduced in 2002 in response to the British Government 's Excellence in Cities report as More universities have wanted to see applicants' individual module results to see how comfortably they have achieved their result. [31] There are fears that the A-level may not offer an accurate test of ability,[32] nor will it be a good prediction of future academic success. [33]

Concern over A-level grading became national news in September 2002. The Observer newspaper ran a story making claims that A-level results had been fixed. It was alleged that students had been given lower marks than they deserved in order to fix overall results, making the pass rate seem lower than it really should have been and so disproving that A-levels were becoming too easy. This resulted in the Tomlinson Inquiry. As a result, some papers were re-marked but only 1,220 A-level and 733 AS-level students saw an improvement to their results. [34]

In response to concerns shown by employers and universities that it is not possible to distinguish between the large number of students achieving A grades, and in order to mirror the current GCSE standards, a debate arose in 2004 as to whether a new, higher "super A" grade (like the A* grade at GCSE) should be attainable. The General Certificate of Secondary Education ( GCSE) is the name of an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject generally taken in a number of subjects by [35] Although it has not yet been put into place, it was generally agreed that bringing in higher grades would be a much better idea than raising the grade boundaries to keep the standards consistent, and it has been proposed that A* and A** grades be attainable at A-level in order to stretch the most able students while still allowing others to achieve the grades they deserve. The Advanced Extension Award has been increasingly used to serve this purpose. The Advanced Extension Awards are qualifications They were introduced in 2002 in response to the British Government 's Excellence in Cities report as [36] From 2008, the highest A-level grade will be A*, requiring an A grade overall and 90% SMS ('Standardised Mark Scheme' will replace the 'Uniform Mark Scheme' [37]) in A2 papers. [38]

The September 2004 reformation of the Mathematics syllabus, following calls that it was too hard,[39] has attracted criticism for allegedly being made easier. [40] In the change, content consisting of three modules (Pure 1-3) were spread to four modules (Core 1-4). It is alleged that this makes the course easier as students do less work for the same qualifications. Further reforms to make the Mathematics syllabus more popular have been met with mixed opinions. [41] Supporters cite it will reverse the downward trend in students taking the subject whilst others are concerned that the subject is being "dumbed down".

Following criticisms from many groups on the "burden of assessment", from September 2008 onwards, candidates will take four papers for most A-levels, instead of the current six. [42] This will mean that there will be two modules for AS and two more for A2 for the majority of A-levels, and that their UMS will total 200 for AS and 400 for the whole A-level (rather than 300 and 600 as is the case now). However, this will not be the case for all A-levels: Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Electronics, Geology, Music and Science will continue with six units, three units for AS and A2 respectively, and 600 SMS for the A-level. Mathematics (including Further Mathematics, Additional Further Mathematics, Statistics, and the Use of Mathematics AS), will not change structurally in the 2008 reform; it will stay on 600 SMS (300 SMS for AS), but it will include the new A* grade and the 'Stretch and Challenge' provision. Also, Bengali, Modern Hebrew, Panjabi, Polish, Arabic, Japanese, Modern Greek, Biblical Hebrew, Dutch, Gujarati, Persian, Portuguese, and Turkish will remain at two units, one for AS and one for A2 [43] [44] [45]. However they will move to 200 SMS for A-level. Chinese will also move to 200 SMS, but instead of two units, it will move to three units: AS will have two units, A2 will have one. It is the first A-level to have an odd number of units since Curriculum 2000 [46].

A possible reformation would be something called the post-qualifications applications system (PQA), where applicants apply to university after they receive their results. [47] It has been argued that this would be fairer to applicants, especially those from lower-income families whose results were thought to be under-predicted. However, a more recent UCAS report shows that although the reliability of predicted grades declines in step with family income, in general this leads to an over-prediction effect for lower income groups. Moreover, even though just 45% of predicted grades are accurate - 47% being over-predictions, 9% under-predictions — UCAS found "only weak and negative evidence of a systematic relationship between an individual's chances of being accepted at a Higher Education Institution and their examination grades being over predicted". [48] Education ministers have said that PQA will be implemented by 2012.

Harrow has warned that it will ditch A-levels if they are dumbed down further. [49] They are considering moving to a new exam (to be called Pre-U) being developed by private schools in conjunction with Cambridge University's exam board. The Cambridge Pre-U exam in the United Kingdom is a qualification planned by University of Cambridge International Examinations as an alternative to the current A Level The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the

Cambridge University has warned that it is extremely unlikely that it will be accepting applicants who are taking two or more supposedly 'softer' A Level subjects. The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the It has outlined a list of subjects it considers to be 'unsuitable', which includes Accounting, Design and technology, Film studies, Information and Communication Technology, Media studies, Photography, and Sports studies[50].

As a result of dislike of the modular system, many schools now offer the alternative "International Baccalaureate" qualification. The International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma Programme (DP is an Educational programme examined in one of three languages ( English, French or Spanish The course offers more subjects, extracurricular activity, a philosophical epistemological component known as "Theory of Knowledge", as well as the requirement of an extended essay on any subject of a candidate's choice. Epistemology (from Greek επιστήμη - episteme, "knowledge" + λόγος, " Logos " or theory of knowledge Unlike the current AS/A2 system, the International Baccalaureate is not based on a modular system.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair recently suggested that one state school in every county should offer the Baccalaureate as an alternative to A-levels. Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to

See also

References

  1. ^ "GCE 'A' Level Curriculum", Ministry of Education. This is an incomplete list of Advanced Level subjects A Accounting Ancient History Ancient History The General Certificate of Secondary Education ( GCSE) is the name of an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject generally taken in a number of subjects by The O-level (Ordinary Level is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education (GCE The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Vocational Certificate of Education, usually shorted to VCE or Vocational A-Level or AVCE, was a vocational qualification that used to be available The Advanced Extension Awards are qualifications They were introduced in 2002 in response to the British Government 's Excellence in Cities report as In Scotland the Higher ( Scottish Gaelic: An Àrd Ìre) is one of the national school-leaving certificate exams and university entrance qualifications of The Advanced Higher ( Scottish Gaelic: An Àrd Ìre Adhartach) is an optional qualification which forms part of the Scottish Secondary education The Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination ( HKALE, 香港高級程度會考 or more commonly known as the A-level, conducted by the Hong Kong Examinations and Matura (Matur Maturita Maturità Maturität матура is the word commonly used in Austria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria The baccalauréat (bakaloʁeˈa often known in France colloquially as le bac or le bachôt, is an academic qualification which Abitur (from Latin abire = go away go off is a designation used in Germany and Finland for final exams that young adults take at the end of The International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma Programme (DP is an Educational programme examined in one of three languages ( English, French or Spanish The European Baccalaureate (" Bac " is awarded to students who successfully managed to complete a European School. The European Schools are Co-educational public Schools providing nursery, primary and Secondary education. The Matriculation Certificate is a certificate awarded to post secondary students in Malta, who successfully pass two advanced level (equivalent to the British Sixth Term Examination Papers in Mathematics, often referred to as STEP (or redundantly as STEP papers) are Examinations set in the The Leaving Certificate ( Ardteistiméireacht) commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert (Irish Ardteist) is the final course in the Irish URL accessed on 20 June 2006.
  2. ^ a b "Education and Skills - Third Report", House of Commons, 26 March 2003. URL accessed on 12 June 2006.
  3. ^ "[1]", UCAS, 2005. URL accessed on 14 August 2007.
  4. ^ "Education and Skills - Third Report", House of Commons, 26 March 2003. Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. URL accessed on 12 June 2006. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  5. ^ "Education and Skills - Third Report", House of Commons, 26 March 2003. Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. URL accessed on 12 June 2006. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  6. ^ "Education and Skills - Third Report", House of Commons, 26 March 2003. URL accessed on 12 June 2006.
  7. ^ "Education and Skills - Third Report", House of Commons, 26 March 2003. URL accessed on 12 June 2006.
  8. ^ a b "AS and A-levels: The Official Student Guide to the system"PDF (793 KiB), Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 2007. A kibibyte (a contraction of ki lo bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, established by the International URL accessed on 15 September 2007.
  9. ^ "'Modest' rise in A-level passes", BBC News, 18 August 2005. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  10. ^ a b c Education, Times Online. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  11. ^ a b "AS-level results by subject 2005", EducationGuardian. co. uk. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  12. ^ "All Subjects A-level grades, 2005", BBC News. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  13. ^ "Mathematics (Further) A-level grades, 2005", BBC News. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  14. ^ "Media Studies overtakes physics", BBC News, 18 August 2005. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  15. ^ "A-levels 'are not meaningless'", BBC News, 15 August 2003. URL accessed on 12 June 2006.
  16. ^ "A-level results by subject 2005", EducationGuardian. co. uk. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  17. ^ "Call to consider 'easy A-levels'", BBC News, 4 September 2004. URL accessed on 12 June 2006.
  18. ^ "Q & A: Overhauling the exam system", 16 July 2003. URL accessed on 12 June 2006.
  19. ^ "The UCAS Tariff", UCAS. URL accessed on 5 June 2006.
  20. ^ BBC NEWS | UK | Education | Increase in top grades at A-level
  21. ^ "Education and Skills - Third Report", House of Commons, 26 March 2003. URL accessed on 12 June 2006.
  22. ^ "Minister attacks A-level critics", BBC News, 17 August 2004. URL accessed on 5 June 2006.
  23. ^ "So are A-levels getting easier?", BBC News, 16 August 2001. URL accessed on 5 June 2006.
  24. ^ a b "A-levels are not what they were", BBC News, 15 August 2005. URL accessed on 5 June 2006.
  25. ^ "A-level variations 'nothing untoward'", BBC News, 23 December 2002. URL accessed on 5 June 2006.
  26. ^ "A-level pupils urged to spurn 'soft' subjects", EducationGuardian. co. uk, 12 August 2005. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  27. ^ "Media Studies. Discuss", BBC News, 18 August 2005. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  28. ^ "Pupils favouring 'easier' A-level subjects", EducationGuardian. co. uk, 10 February 2006. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  29. ^ "Call for 'more rigorous' A-levels", BBC News, 3 June 2004. URL accessed on 5 June 2006.
  30. ^ "Cambridge seeks harder A-levels", BBC News, 11 May 2005. URL accessed on 5 June 2006.
  31. ^ "Universities to see breakdowns of A-level results", EducationGuardian. co. uk, 10 August 2005. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  32. ^ "A-levels 'poor test of ability'", BBC News, 13 August 2002. URL accessed on 5 June 2006.
  33. ^ "Education and Skills - Third Report", House of Commons, 26 March 2003. URL accessed on 12 June 2006.
  34. ^ "[2]" BBC News, 'Timeline: A-level Grading Row', 31 October 2002. URL accessed 5 January 2007.
  35. ^ "A++ grade 'will select the best'", BBC News, 18 October 2004. URL accessed on 5 June 2006.
  36. ^ "Advanced exam too tough by half", BBC News, 19 August 2005. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  37. ^ "NAA: Revised A-levels"
  38. ^ "Highest A-level grade is set at 90%", EducationGuardian. co. uk, 2 July 2007. URL accessed on 13 August 2007.
  39. ^ "AS-level maths syllabus revised", BBC News, 11 October 2002. URL accessed on 12 June 2006.
  40. ^ "Maths A-level revival plan approved", BBC News, 6 August 2003. URL accessed on 12 June 2006.
  41. ^ "'Split' over A-level maths reform", BBC News, 5 February 2006. URL accessed on 12 June 2006.
  42. ^ "Exam watchdog unveils plans for A-level reform", EducationGuardian. co. uk, 29 March 2006. URL accessed on 11 June 2006.
  43. ^ "OCR A-level changes overview"
  44. ^ "Edexcel new A-level specifications"
  45. ^ "AQA new A-level specifications"
  46. ^ "Edexcel A-level in Chinese: Specification for teaching from September 2008"
  47. ^ "Plans to change university entry", BBC News, 22 May 2006.
  48. ^ "Estimating the Reliability of Predicted Grades", University and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS). URL accessed on 17 July 2007.
  49. ^ "Harrow head demands harder exams" BBC News, 1 November 2006. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. URL accessed on 29th May 2007
  50. ^ University 'soft' A-level warning http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7174848.stm

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