AS LEVEL REFORM

Discussion and advice on Sixth Form matters

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vas
Posts: 106
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:28 am
Location: Middlesex

AS LEVEL REFORM

Post by vas »

I'm utterly confused and apologise if all this has been explained previously in detail. Will there still be AS levels next June and do children still continue to study mostly 4 subjects to AS and are allowed to drop 1 and study 3 subjects to A2?
I know you can no longer take the AS marks to A2 and these are separate exams, but will they be tested on 2 years of study where you only take AS for the subjects you are dropping but do only A2 for the ones you take to year13?
Hope my questions make sense and will be grateful if some one will explain all the reforms in layman's terms!
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: AS LEVEL REFORM

Post by Guest55 »

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... vel-reform" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's complicated! Some subjects are changing in September, some aren't; please see the timeline to check which are 'new'.

The 'new' AS will be taken in some schools but not all - you'll need to check what your child's school is doing. The linear A levels will test ALL the content in 2017 so everything they learn and the new AS marks are irrelevant for the final A level grade.

Hope that helps a bit.
mad?
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Location: london

Re: AS LEVEL REFORM

Post by mad? »

Some subjects (Maths and possibly others) are not dropping AS yet so the first answer is it depends. However, in general, all exams at the end of 2 years no dropping a subject, do four or three from the start.
mad?
vas
Posts: 106
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:28 am
Location: Middlesex

Re: AS LEVEL REFORM

Post by vas »

Thank you Guest 55 and mad for your replies. I know what you mean by complicated!

So, maths and further maths don't change until a couple of years later? Is the aim at the end of the reform to do all subjects after 2 years abolishing AS?

Essentially as what you suggest mad? is to take just 3 subjects and not do AS (which probably wont be available in all schools) meaning universities make offers based on GCSE alone?

Sorry, if it all seems as if I've just woken up but everyone (even the ones going in to year 12) seem rather clueless about it and the schools don't seem to be explaining much of anything either!
mad?
Posts: 5621
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 6:27 pm
Location: london

Re: AS LEVEL REFORM

Post by mad? »

vas wrote:Thank you Guest 55 and mad for your replies. I know what you mean by complicated!

So, maths and further maths don't change until a couple of years later? Is the aim at the end of the reform to do all subjects after 2 years abolishing AS?

Essentially as what you suggest mad? is to take just 3 subjects and not do AS (which probably wont be available in all schools) meaning universities make offers based on GCSE alone?

Sorry, if it all seems as if I've just woken up but everyone (even the ones going in to year 12) seem rather clueless about it and the schools don't seem to be explaining much of anything either!
I don't 'suggest' anything. Some kids will so 3 some 4, just don't go into it thinking you can give one up and still get a qualification for it.
mad?
vas
Posts: 106
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:28 am
Location: Middlesex

Re: AS LEVEL REFORM

Post by vas »

mad? wrote:I don't 'suggest' anything.
I didn't mean to imply that, it's just language limitations.

All I'm confused about is the expectation from universities. Would they require 3 or will 4 become compulsory? Presently most need 4 to AS and are quite happy with 3 at A2 and how all this is going to change.
tiffinboys
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Location: Surrey

Re: AS LEVEL REFORM

Post by tiffinboys »

My guess is that if school is offering AS in yr 12, then uni may ask for it as at present.

I asked a senior teacher at our school and my understanding is that 4 AS subjects would be taken in year 12 (as at present) and 3 of these would be taken to A level in year 13. Those doing Further Maths would be encouraged to take 4 A level exams.

Again, this is just my understanding. As mentioned by G55, the AS results are stand-alone and do not count for A level results. Full A level syllabus would be examined at the end of yr 13.
mad?
Posts: 5621
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 6:27 pm
Location: london

Re: AS LEVEL REFORM

Post by mad? »

vas wrote:
mad? wrote:I don't 'suggest' anything.
I didn't mean to imply that, it's just language limitations.
I know, sorry i did not mean to snap, but wanted to make sure you did not think I was providing advice which I am ill equipped to do!
vas wrote:All I'm confused about is the expectation from universities. Would they require 3 or will 4 become compulsory? Presently most need 4 to AS and are quite happy with 3 at A2 and how all this is going to change.
I do not think 4 will become compulsory, except perhaps in some scientific/maths subjects at some universities and only form schools where the institutions knows that the school offers 4 (many do/will not).

In short though, the answer is who knows? :D
mad?
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: AS LEVEL REFORM

Post by Guest55 »

It's a total mess - some schools are doing the new AS and some aren't. Some are suggesting only three subjects [four with F Maths] and some sticking with what they do now.

It will be 'interesting' to see how universities react - if you take AS you will have to declare the grades so there will be some students with just GCSEs and some with AS as well.

In the 'old' pre modular A level days, few students took 4 and it was much rarer to get three grade As [no A* in those days].
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