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Percentage of Level 7 Ib Art 2018 Grade Distribution

School leaving qualification in England, Wales, and Northern Republic of ireland

GCE Advanced Level
Year started 1951 (1951)
Offered Once a year
Countries / regions England, Wales and Northern Ireland

The General Document of Education (GCE) Avant-garde Level, or A Level, is a main schoolhouse leaving qualification in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of man. It is bachelor every bit an alternative qualification in other countries.

Students more often than not written report for A levels over a two-year period. For much of their history, A levels take been examined by "final" examinations taken at the terminate of these two years. A more than modular arroyo to examination became common in many subjects starting in the tardily 1980s, and standard for September 2000 and afterward cohorts, with students taking their subjects to the half-credit "Equally" level later 1 year and proceeding to total A level the side by side year (sometimes in fewer subjects). In 2015, Ofqual decided to alter back to a final approach where students sit all examinations at the end of the 2nd year. AS is still offered, merely as a split qualification; AS grades no longer count towards a subsequent A level.

Most students study two or three A level subjects simultaneously during the 2 mail-16 years (ages 16–18) in a secondary school, in a sixth form college, in a further and higher didactics higher, or in a tertiary college, as part of their further education.

A Levels are recognised by many universities equally the standard for assessing the suitability of applicants for admission in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and many such universities partly base of operations their admissions offers on a student's predicted A level grades, with the majority of these offers provisional on achieving a minimum prepare of final grades.

History [edit]

A Levels were introduced in 1951 as a standardised schoolhouse-leaving qualification, replacing the Higher Schoolhouse Certificate. The examinations were taken on a bailiwick-by-subject ground, the subjects being chosen according to the strengths and interests of the student. This encouraged specialization and in-depth study of three to four subjects. At first, A Levels were graded every bit merely distinction, laissez passer or fail (although students were given an indication of their marks, to the nearest 5%). Candidates obtaining a distinction originally had the option to sit a Scholarship Level paper on the aforementioned cloth, to try to win 1 of 400 national scholarships. The Scholarship Level was renamed the Due south-Level in 1963.

Quite before long, ascent numbers of students taking the A-level examinations required more differentiation of achievement beneath the Due south-Level standard. Grades were therefore introduced, with recommendations by the Secondary Schoolhouse Examinations Council (SSEC) of approximate proportions of pupils for each grade.[1]

Class A B C D E O Neglect
Pct 10% 15% 10% 15% 20% 20% 10%

The O course was equivalent to a GCE Ordinary Level pass which indicated a performance equivalent to the lowest pass class at Ordinary Level.

Over time, the validity of this system was questioned because, rather than reflecting a standard, norm referencing simply maintained a specific proportion of candidates at each grade, which in modest cohorts was subject to statistical fluctuations in standards. In 1984, the regime's Secondary Examinations Council decided to supercede the norm referencing with criterion referencing: grades would in future exist awarded on examiner sentence[2] thus eliminating a possible inadequacy of the existing scheme.

The criterion referencing scheme came into event for the summer 1987 exams as the arrangement set examiners specific criteria for the awarding of B and E grades to candidates, and then divided out the other grades according to fixed percentages. Rather than awarding an Ordinary Level for the lowest pass, a new "N" (for Nearly passed) was introduced. Criticisms of A level grading connected, and when Curriculum 2000 was introduced, the decision was made to have specific criteria for each grade, and the 'N' grade was abolished.

In 1989, Advanced Supplementary (AS) awards were introduced; they were intended to augment the subjects a pupil studied post xvi, and were to complement rather than be part of a pupil's A-level studies. AS-Levels were generally taken over 2 years, and in a subject the pupil was not studying at A-Level. Each Equally level contained half the content of an A-Level, and at the same level of difficulty.

Initially, a student might study three subjects at A-Level and one at AS-Level, or often even four subjects at A-Level.[ citation needed ] However, due to decreasing public spending on teaching over time, a growing number of schools and 6th form colleges would at present arrange for their pupils to study for three A-Levels instead of iv.[3]

A levels evolved gradually from a ii-year linear class with an exam at the stop, to a modular course, between the tardily 1980s and 2000. By the year 2000 there was a strong educational reason[ clarification needed ] to standardise the exam and offer greater breadth to students through modules[four] and at that place was also a pragmatic case based on the inefficiency of linear courses where upward to thirty% of students were declining to complete or pass.[5]

Curriculum 2000 was introduced in September 2000, with the first new examinations taken in January and June of the following year. The Curriculum 2000 reforms also replaced the South-Level extension paper with the Advanced Extension Laurels.

The Conservative Party under Prime Minister David Cameron initiated reforms for A Levels to change from modular to the current linear structure.[6] British Examination Boards (Edexcel, AQA and OCR) regulated and accredited by the authorities of the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland responded to the government's reform announcements by modifying specifications of several A Level subjects.[7]

On eighteen March 2020, A-level examinations were cancelled in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the 2019-2020 coronavirus pandemic. The A-level and As-level qualifications would instead exist awarded based upon a mix of teacher assessment and informal "mock" exams taken before in the schoolhouse year.[8] This led to a grading controversy.

On vi Jan 2021, Secretary of State for Instruction Gavin Williamson confirmed that the 2020/21 serial of A-levels would also exist cancelled, pending further arrangements by Ofqual and the Department for Education.[9]

Curriculum [edit]

Structure [edit]

Prior to the 2015 government reforms of the A Level arrangement, A-levels had (since the Curriculum 2000 reforms) consisted of ii equally weighted parts: As (Avant-garde Subsidiary) Level, usually assessed in the first year of report, and "A2 Level", commonly assessed in the second year of written report. It was likewise possible to take both Equally Levels and A2 Levels for a subject in the same exam session - this was most common with Mathematics and Further Mathematics, where a student may accept completed the entire Mathematics A-Level in their first year of report, followed by the entire Further Mathematics A-Level in their second. It was typical for an Every bit form to compromise two or three modules, with the A2 one-half of the form comprising ii or three modules, for a total of four or six modules. The modules inside each part may have been as weighted, or be of varying weights. Modules were either assessed past externally marked papers, or by schoolhouse-assessed, externally chastened coursework.

Post-obit the reforms, A-Levels and AS-Levels accept been decoupled, with Every bit-Level results no longer counting towards the A-Level qualification. The Every bit-Level comprises of the first half of the A-Level course, and can be taught alongside the first year of the full A-Level course.[10] Grades are determined past adding upwards the mark for each component (which is sometimes weighted) and applying a course boundary.

Subjects offered [edit]

A wide variety of subjects are offered at A-level by the five exam boards. Although exam boards frequently alter their curricula, this tabular array shows the majority of subjects which are consistently bachelor for written report. Encounter a list of, click on the "prove" below, Advanced Level Subjects (usually referred to as A-Level):

Process [edit]

Studying [edit]

The number of A-level exams taken by students can vary. A typical route is to report four subjects at AS level and then drop down to iii 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 quaternary Equally discipline. At that place is no limit set on the number of A Levels one tin written report, and a number of students take five or more A Levels. It is permissible to take A Levels in languages one already speaks fluently, or courses with overlapping content, fifty-fifty if not always fully recognized past universities. There are many options that are in place for students to choose to do coursework.

Grading [edit]

The pass grades for A Levels are, from highest to lowest, A*, A, B, C, D and E. Those who do not reach the minimum standard required for a grade Due east receive the non-form U (unclassified). There is no A* grade at AS level.

The procedure to decide these grades for modular A Levels involves the uniform marking scheme (UMS). Nether this scheme, four-module A levels have a maximum mark of 400 UMS (or 200 UMS each for AS and A2), and half dozen-module A levels accept a maximum mark of 600 (or 300 UMS each for AS and A2). The maximum UMS inside Equally and A2 may exist split unequally between each modules. For example, a Physics Equally may have 2 examination modules worth ninety UMS and 150 UMS, and a coursework module worth 60 UMS. The 'raw marks' i.e. actual score received on a exam may differ from UMS awarded. On each assignment, the correspondence of raw marks to UMS is decided by setting grade boundaries, a procedure which involves consultation past subject area experts and consideration of statistics, aiming to keep standards for each grade the same year on year. Achieving less than 40% results in a U (unclassified). For passing grades, forty% corresponds to an E grade, fifty% a D, 60% a C, 70% a B, and 80% an A. The A* form was introduced in 2010 and is awarded to candidates who average 80% UMS beyond all modules, with a score over 90% UMS in all A2 modules.[xvi] In Mathematics, which comprises six 100 UMS modules, only the C3 and C4 modules count towards this requirement. In Farther Mathematics and Additional Further Mathematics, where more than three A2 modules tin can be taken, the 3 best-scoring A2 modules count.

International comparisons [edit]

Wales and Northern Ireland [edit]

Recent inquiry and the corresponding findings accept shown that over a time span of several years students from Northern Republic of ireland outperformed students from England and Wales in A-level examinations.[17]

Hong Kong [edit]

According to UCAS and HKEAA, the Hong Kong A-level test has historically been benchmarked against the UK A Levels. In general, a UK A grade is broadly equivalent to a Hong Kong A-C grade. This conclusion is based mainly on the percentage of pupils achieving the respective grades in corresponding exams. In the U.k., on average 25% of participants of each field of study achieved an A grade every year, compared to the 25% A-C rate in Hong Kong – A(4%), A-B (10%), A-C (25%). According to the BBC, the percentage of students achieving an A* is about viii–ten%, which substantially lies within the A-B range of their Hong Kong counterparts in respective subjects.[eighteen]

United states of america [edit]

In the U.s. of America the high school diploma is the qualification generally required for entry into colleges and universities. Students are usually evaluated and granted admission to Us college education institutions based on a combination of school marks, via a transcript from their high schoolhouse, and a college entrance test, most commonly the SAT or Human activity.

In the U.k., the high school diploma is considered to be at the level of the Full general Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), which is awarded at Year eleven.[19] [20] For college and academy admissions, the loftier school diploma may be accepted in lieu of the GCSE if an boilerplate grade of C is obtained in subjects with a GCSE analogue.[nineteen]

As the more academically rigorous A Levels awarded at Year 13 are expected for academy admission, the loftier school diploma lonely is generally not considered to meet university requirements. Students who wish to study in the Uk may additionally participate in the Avant-garde Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, which are considered to be at the level of the A Level qualifications and earn points on the UCAS Tariff,[19] [21] or may opt to take A Level examinations in British international schools or every bit private candidates. Higher Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) tests, such as the SAT, Sabbatum Subject Tests, or the Act, may also be considered.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) recommends that in add-on to a high school diploma, grades of 3 or above in at least 2, or ideally iii, Advanced Placement exams may be considered as coming together general entry requirements for access.[19] The IB Diploma may also be accepted. For the College Entrance Test Lath tests, a minimum score of 600 or higher in all sections of the Sat or a minimum score of 26 or higher in all sections of the Human activity along with a minimum score of 600 in relevant SAT Field of study Tests may exist considered as meeting general entry requirements for admission.[19]

Special educational needs [edit]

The Equality Act says that examination boards are required to have 'such steps equally it is reasonable to have to take to avoid the disadvantage', pregnant that they are required to make reasonable adjustments for students who would otherwise be at a substantial disadvantage when demonstrating their skills, knowledge and agreement in an assessment.[22] For students taking GCE A Level examinations with learning difficulties, an injury/repetitive strain injury (RSI) or other disabilities, some of the access arrangements offered are:

  • Actress time (the nearly mutual canonical is 25%, just the amount depends on the severity of the inability, and the student's processing speed. It tin be immune for: disorders such equally ADHD, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, or any other disabilities that impact your processing speed, an injury that affects the time needed in the exam, or learning in English every bit a 2d language provided that the student has been studying in the Uk for not more than than 2 years)
  • An amanuensis (somebody types or handwrites every bit the student dictates; this is ordinarily used when the pupil cannot write due to an injury or disability)
  • A word processor (without any spell checking tools) tin exist used by students who have problem writing legibly or who are unable to write quickly enough to consummate the exam within the time limit
  • A different format exam newspaper (large print, Braille, printed on coloured paper, etc.)
  • A 'reader' (a teacher/exam invigilator can read out the words written on the exam, but they cannot explicate their significant)
  • A different room (sometimes due to a inability a pupil can be placed in a room by themselves or with selected others; this also happens when an amanuensis is used, then as not to disturb the other candidates. All exam rooms are covered past split dedicated invigilators.)

Admission arrangements must be approved past the exam board concerned. There are others bachelor, simply these are the most unremarkably used.

Examination boards [edit]

A-level examinations in the UK are currently administered through 5 exam boards: AQA, OCR, Edexcel (London Examinations), WJEC and CCEA. The nowadays 5 can trace their roots via a series of mergers or acquisitions to one or more of the originally nine GCE Examination boards. Additionally, there are four test boards offering A level qualifications internationally: OxfordAQA, Edexcel, Learning Resource Network (LRN) and the CIE. OCR and CIE are both branches of the parent organization, Cambridge Assessment. OxfordAQA is a partnership between AQA and Oxford University Press. In the UK it is customary for schools to annals with multiple test boards and to "mix and match" A Levels to get a combined curriculum that fits the schoolhouse profile.

The exam boards finance themselves through the fees charged to the schools for administering the test.[23] In improver to the centre registration fee, A level Mathematics will heighten £120.00 per student, while Biology, Physics and Chemistry £90.00 per subject and languages such as Castilian, French and German £100.00 or £201.xv depending on the syllabus. (2019-20 AQA figures) [24]

Usage [edit]

England, Wales and Northern Ireland [edit]

A Levels are usually studied by students in 6th Form, which refers to the terminal two years of secondary educational activity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, taken at ages 16–18. Some secondary schools take their ain Sixth Form, which admits students from lower twelvemonth groups, but will oftentimes accept external applications. There are also many specialist Sixth Form and Farther Instruction Colleges which acknowledge from feeder schools across a big geographic area. Access to A level programmes is at the discretion of providers, and usually depends on GCSE grades. A typical requirement would be five A*-C grades at GCSE, although requirements can exist higher, particularly for independent schools and grammer schools.

Scotland [edit]

A Levels are offered as an alternating qualification by a small number of educational institutions in Scotland, in place of the standard Scottish Higher, and the Advanced College levels of the Scottish Qualifications Certificate. The schools that offer A Levels are mainly private fee-paying schools specially for students wishing to attend university in England.

International schools [edit]

Many international schools choose to use the British system for their wide recognition. Furthermore, students may choose to sit the papers of British examination bodies at pedagogy centres around the earth, such every bit those belonging to the British Council. According to the British Council, A Levels are like to the American Advanced Placement courses[25] which are themselves equivalent to first-year courses of America'due south four-year bachelor's degrees.

Academy admissions [edit]

A Level students often utilise to universities before they have taken their concluding exams, with applications administered centrally through UCAS. British universities (including Scottish universities, which receive many applicants taking A Levels) consider GCSEs, Every bit-level results, predicted A Level results, and extracurricular accomplishments when deciding whether applicants should be made an offer through UCAS. These offers may be 'unconditional', guaranteeing a identify regardless of performance in A2 examinations. Far more than often, the offers are conditional on A level grades, and become void should the student neglect to achieve the marks expected by the university (for example, conditional offering of three A Levels at grades B-B-C).[26] Universities may specify which subjects they wish these grades to be in (for example, conditional offering of grades A-A-B with a grade A in Mathematics).[26] The offer may include boosted requirements, such as attaining a particular grade in the Sixth Term Exam Paper. The academy is obliged to accept the candidate if the weather are met, just is non obliged to reject a candidate who misses the requirements. Leniency may in item exist shown if the candidate narrowly misses grades.

A Level grades are likewise sometimes converted into numerical scores, typically UCAS tariff scores. Under the new UCAS arrangement starting in 2017, an A* grade at A Level is worth 56 points, while an A is worth 48, a B is worth forty, a C is worth 32, a D is 24, and a E is worth 16;[27] then a academy may instead need that an applicant accomplish 112 points, instead of the equivalent offering of B-B-C. This allows greater flexibility to students, as 112 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 offering because of the D grade.

Depending on the specific offer fabricated, a combination of more than 3 subjects (typically 4 or 5) with lower grades, or points from non-academic input such as higher level music grades or a Key Skills course, may also be accustomed by the university. The text of the offer determines whether this flexibility is available – "112 UCAS Points" likely would, while "112 UCAS Points from three A Level subjects" would non.

International variants [edit]

There are currently three exam boards which provide an international variant of the United Kingdom A level examinations to international students. These are Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), Edexcel and OxfordAQA.[28] [29]

Awarding [edit]

United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland: A-level Grade Distribution (percent) and Number of Entries[30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [Notes 1]
A* A (A*+A) B C D E O/N U/F A–E Entries
pre 1960 75.iii 103,803
1963–1986 8–x 15 ten 15 twenty 20 10 68–70 1975: 498,883

1980: 589,270

1982 8.ix 68.two
1985 seventy.v 634,557
1989[36] 11.4 15.two xvi.iv 17.4 15.iii 10.ix 13.4 75.7 682,997
1990[37] 11.7 xv.5 16.nine 17.7 15.2 x.7 12.three 76.7 684,065
1991[38] 11.nine 15.5 16.9 18.1 15.6 10.5 11.v 78.0 699,041
1992[39] 12.viii 16.3 17.4 18.0 15.3 9.8 10.4 79.eight 731,240
1993 thirteen.8 sixteen.seven 17.7 18.1 fourteen.viii nine.3 9.6 81.1 734,081
1994 14.8 17.1 18.6 18.ane fourteen.4 8.eight viii.ane 83.0 732,974
1995 15.8 17.i 19.0 xviii.1 14.1 8.4 seven.5 84.1 730,415
1996 16.0 18.0 19.8 18.3 thirteen.seven 7.8 six.4 85.viii 739,163
1997 sixteen.0 18.9 20.three eighteen.5 13.4 vii.4 5.5 87.i 776,115
1998 16.8 xviii.9 20.8 xviii.three thirteen.0 7.2 5.0 87.8 794,262
1999 17.five 19.0 21.0 18.3 12.7 half dozen.nine four.half-dozen 88.5 783,692
2000 17.eight 19.2 21.2 18.5 12.four half-dozen.vi 4.3 89.1 771,809
2001 eighteen.6 19.3 21.4 18.1 12.4 vi.3 three.9 89.eight 748,866
2002 20.seven 21.9 22.7 18.1 10.9 five.7 94.3 701,380
2003 21.half-dozen 22.nine 23.0 17.viii 10.1 iv.6 95.4 750,537
2004 22.4 23.4 23.ii 17.5 ix.5 4.0 96.0 766,247
2005 22.8 23.viii 23.iii 17.2 9.1 3.8 96.ii 783,878
2006 24.i 24.0 23.2 16.6 8.7 3.4 96.6 805,698
2007 25.3 24.4 23.one xvi.0 viii.1 three.1 96.9 805,657
2008 25.9 24.nine 23.1 15.7 7.6 two.8 97.2 827,737
2009 26.7 25.3 23.1 fifteen.2 seven.2 ii.5 97.5 846,977
2010 viii.1 18.nine (27) 25.2 23.ii 15.ii 7.0 two.4 97.6 853,933
2011 8.ii 18.8 (27) 25.6 23.6 15.1 6.v 2.2 97.8 867,317
2012 vii.9 18.7 (26.6) 26.0 24.0 14.9 six.5 two.0 98.0 861,819
2013 7.6 18.vii (26.three) 26.vi 24.3 14.7 6.2 1.9 98.one 850,752
2014 viii.2 17.8 (26.0) 26.iv 24.3 14.8 six.5 2.0 98.0 833,807
2015 8.2 17.7 (25.9) 26.9 24.five fourteen.seven 6.1 1.9 98.1 850,749
2016 8.i 17.vii (25.8) 27.1 24.7 14.6 5.9 one.ix 98.one 836,705
2017 8.3 18.0 (26.iii) 26.8 24.three 14.vi 5.9 two.i 97.9 828,355
2018 8.0 18.four (26.4) 26.six 24.0 xiv.5 6.ane ii.4 97.6 811,776
2019 7.8 17.7 (25.v) 26.1 24.2 15.ii 6.half dozen 2.4 97.6 801,002
2020[Notes 2] 14.4 24.2 (38.6) 27.5 21.8 ix.1 two.seven 0.iii 97.6 781,029
2021[Notes two] 19.ane 25.7 (45.8) 25.5 18.2 7.8 iii.5 0.2 99.eight 824,718
  1. ^ 2020 grades will not be counted as statistics given that, for the first time ever, the A-Level exams were cancelled as part of the 2020 U.k. education shutdown because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. ^ a b 2020-21 due to COVID-19 grades were teacher awarded, rather than examined.

United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland A-Level classifications from June 1989 to 2018 [edit]

10

twenty

xxx

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

norm*

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020

  • A*
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • Eastward
  • Northward/O
  • F/U

Note: norm* - grades allocated per the norm referenced percentile quotas described above.

Criticism and controversy [edit]

Form inflation [edit]

The almost common criticism of the A-level system is an accusation of class inflation. The press have noted the steady rise in boilerplate grades for several consecutive years and fatigued the conclusion that A-levels are becoming consistently easier.[40] A 2007 report by Robert Coe compared students' scores in the ALIS power test with equivalent grades accomplished in A level exams over a catamenia of approximately twenty years; he found that students of similar ability were achieving on average almost 2 grades lower in the past. In the case of maths it was nearer to iii.5 grades lower.[41]

The regime and teaching bodies maintain that the improved grades stand for higher levels of accomplishment due to improved and more experienced educational activity methods,[42] [43] but some educationalists and journalists argue that the modify is due to grade inflation and the examinations getting easier.[32] It has as well been suggested that government pressure on schools to achieve high test results has led them to coach students to pass the examination rather than understand the subject area.[44] In 2000, the A-level system was changed to examine students at the finish of each of the two years of A-level study, rather than but at the end of the two years. The results of the first year (AS-level) examinations allowed students to drop subjects they notice difficult after one yr and to retake examinations to accomplish a college grade.[44] The availability of unlimited resits, with the best mark going through, has improved results.[45] Some believe that students are disposed to select easier subjects in order to achieve higher grades.[46] [47] [48]

Universities in Britain have complained that the increasing number of A grades awarded makes it difficult to distinguish betwixt students at the upper stop of the ability spectrum.[49] The C grade was originally intended to represent the average ability, and students typically required 60% or higher beyond all assessments to attain it; notwithstanding, the boilerplate outcome is now[ when? ] at the upper cease of the B grade.[ commendation needed ] Many universities take introduced their own entrance tests such as the BMAT and LNAT for specific courses, or bear interviews to select applicants. In 2005, the head of admissions at the University of Cambridge outlined changes[50] he believed should be fabricated to the current system, particularly the utilize of the Advanced Extension Awards, a more challenging qualification based on the more avant-garde content of the A-level syllabus. More universities have wanted to see applicants' private module results to see how comfortably they have achieved their result[51] due to fears that the A-level might not offer an authentic test of ability,[52] or that information technology is a good prediction of hereafter academic success.[42]

In 2002, allegations that students had been given lower marks than they deserved in order to gear up overall results and make the pass rate seem lower than information technology had been in previous years were raised. The Tomlinson Inquiry was set up up to ascertain whether this was an underhand fashion to disprove that A levels were becoming also piece of cake. Equally a effect, some papers were re-marked only only one,220 A level and 733 Equally-level students saw an comeback to their results.[53]

To replace the cancelled summer 2020 exam series (attributable to concerns over the spread of COVID-19), grades were awarded using center-assessed grades and rankings. These were initially moderated past Ofqual but, owing to numerous problems, candidates' concluding grades reverted to those supplied by centres.[54] This resulted in significant grade inflation, with initial calculations showing around 37.seven% of candidates gaining a grade A or A*, compared with 25.two% in 2019.[55]

Reforms [edit]

In response to concerns shown past employers and universities that it was not possible to distinguish exceptional candidates among the large number of students achieving A grades, and in order to mirror GCSE standards, a college "super A" grade (like the A* form at GCSE) was proposed in 2004.[56] It was generally agreed that bringing in college grades would be a better thought than raising the course boundaries to keep the standards consistent, and it was proposed that on top of the A, an A* class should be available at A level in order to stretch the about able students while ensuring others are not disadvantaged. For modular A2 exams sabbatum from 2010 onwards, the highest A level grade is A*, requiring an A grade overall and xc% overall boilerplate UMS in A2 papers.[57]

The 2004 reform of the Mathematics syllabus, following calls that it was too hard,[58] attracted criticism.[59] In the change, content consisting of three modules (Pure 1–3) was spread to four modules (Cadre 1–4). It was alleged that this made the course easier as students did less piece of work for the same qualifications. Further reforms in 2006 to brand the Mathematics syllabus more popular were met with mixed opinions.[sixty] Supporters cited it would opposite the downward tendency in students taking the subject whilst others were concerned that the subject was "still incredibly difficult".

Despite ongoing work to improve the image of A-levels in the business customs, a number of business leaders expressed concern about the suitability of the qualification for school leavers and to urge the adoption of the International Baccalaureate in the UK every bit an alternative qualification at schools. Examples of concerns were those raised in 2009 by Sir Mike Rake, Chairman of BT Group, Sir Terry Leahy, Chairman of Tesco[61] and by Sir Christopher Gent, Chairman of GlaxoSmithKline.[62] Some schools have as well moved[ when? ] to offering the Cambridge Pre-U[63] as an alternative to A-levels and with higher tariffs.[64]

Brunt of cess [edit]

With increased modularisation of subjects, the corporeality of fourth dimension that young adults are spending being examined in the UK has risen considerably. It was estimated in a report past educationalists that by the age of 19 children will have spent an entire year of their school education being assessed.[65] As a result of such criticisms about the "burden of assessment", since candidates have taken four papers for about A-levels, instead of six as in the past.[66] This ways that there are two modules for Equally and two more for A2 for the majority of A levels. Nonetheless, this will non exist the example for all A levels: Biology, Human Biology, Chemical science, Physics, Electronics, Geology, Music, Welsh and Science will continue with vi units, three units for As and A2 respectively, and 600 UMS for the A level. Mathematics (including Farther Mathematics, Boosted Farther Mathematics, Statistics, and the Utilize of Mathematics AS), will not change structurally in the modular reform; it will stay on 600 UMS (300 UMS for As), but information technology will include the new A* grade and the 'Stretch and Claiming' provision. Besides, Bengali, Modernistic Hebrew, Punjabi, Polish, Arabic, Japanese, Modern Greek, Biblical Hebrew, Dutch, Gujarati, Persian, Portuguese, and Turkish will remain at two units, one for AS and ane for A2.[67] [68] [69] Even so, they will movement to 200 UMS for A level. Chinese will too move to 200 UMS, but instead of two units, information technology will move to iii units: AS will have two units, A2 volition have ane. It is the first A level to have an odd number of units since Curriculum 2000.[70]

Cambridge University has warned that it is extremely unlikely that it volition take applicants who are taking two or more supposedly 'softer' A level subjects out of 3. It has outlined a listing of subjects it considers to be 'unsuitable', which includes Bookkeeping, Design and Applied science, Film Studies, Information and Advice Technology, Media Studies, Photography, and Sports studies.[71]

As a result of dislike of the modular system, many schools now offer the alternative International Baccalaureate Diploma qualification. The class offers more subjects, extracurricular activeness, a philosophical epistemological component known as "Theory of Knowledge", besides as the requirement of an extended essay on whatsoever subject of a candidate'due south choice. Dissimilar the electric current As/A2 organization, the International Baccalaureate is non based on a modular arrangement. The Diploma Plan, administered past the International Baccalaureate, is a recognised pre-academy educational programme.[72]

Old British Prime Government minister Tony Blair suggested in 2013 that ane land school in every county should offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme as an alternative to A levels.[73]

Breadth of written report [edit]

The A-level has been criticised for providing less breadth since many A-level students do not more often than not report more than three subjects in their final year.[xviii] A major part of this criticism is that, while a three- or four-discipline curriculum can exist balanced across the spectrum—for example, students may cull one science subject area (due east.g. Maths, Chemistry, or Biological science), a language bailiwick (e.g. English Linguistic communication, English Literature, French, German, Spanish), and a "artistic" subject field (e.chiliad. Art Studies)—in many cases students choose three closely linked subjects—for case, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry or Folklore, Psychology, and Politics. This is in part due to university entrance requirements, which, for degree programs such as medicine, may require three related A-level subjects, but not-traditional combinations are becoming more than common ("British Council Australia Education Great britain"). Thus, while the purpose of Curriculum 2000 was to encourage students to undertake contrasting subjects, to broaden their 'skill-base', at that place is a trend to pursue similar disciplines. However, others disagree, arguing that the additional Equally-level(south) studied would already accept provided more latitude compared with the erstwhile arrangement.

Predicted grading [edit]

Students applying to universities earlier receiving their A Level results typically do and so on the basis of predicted grades, which are issued by schools and colleges. A educatee'due south predicted grades commonly depend on their GCSE results, functioning throughout the course, performance in tests and mock examinations, or a combination of these factors.

A possible reformation would be something called the post-qualifications applications system (PQA), where applicants utilize to academy after they receive their results.[74] Information technology has been argued that this would be fairer to applicants, peculiarly those from lower-income families whose results were thought to exist under-predicted. However, a more than recent UCAS report shows that although the reliability of predicted grades declines in step with family unit income, this can still atomic number 82 to an over-prediction effect for lower income groups. Simply 45% of predicted grades are authentic – 47% are over-predictions and nine% nether-predictions.[75] A contempo UCAS consultation rejected the implementation of PQA following opposition from universities, schools and awarding bodies.[76]

Effects of COVID-xix pandemic, 2020 and 2021 [edit]

In 2020 the A level system was challenged by the COVID-nineteen pandemic. Ofqual advised that the 2020 A level exams should exist cancelled, students be given a completion document, and universities widen the intake relying on a higher drop-out.[77] The government intervened and grades were to be awarded using an algorithm.[78] There was a public outcry, explained Roger Taylor the former chair of Ofqual who resigned. It was a "jumbo error of judgment" : awarding grades calculated by algorithm was not acceptable to the public. Instead the final grades were awarded by teacher assessment, a organization that was repeated in 2021.[77] Taylor explained the algorithm was robust, it was the way information technology was beingness used that caused the trouble: that was down to human decisions. LSE and UCL researchers showed that instructor assessment gave a 15% advantage to students with graduate parents.[79]

Encounter also [edit]

  • GCE S-Level / Special level
  • GCE Advanced Extension Honour (AEA)
  • A-level (International)
  • Advanced College (Scotland)
  • Higher Schoolhouse Certificate (Britain)
  • IB Diploma Programme
  • European Baccalaureate
  • T Level

References [edit]

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GCE_Advanced_Level_(United_Kingdom)