A-Levels To Be Made ‘More Stretching’

The Russell Group says maths A-level is not “challenging enough” and English needs more “robust critical analysis”.

The exam regulator Ofqual is to put forward changes to A-levels, including a greater role for universities.

The Russell Group says it backs ending learning in “bite-sized chunks”.

Ofqual is to launch a consultation on the future of A-levels, setting out how this qualification, studied in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, might be reformed.

‘Gold standard’
The modular approach – where a subject is studied and assessed in chunks – is likely to be reduced, with a greater emphasis on final exams.

The increase in resits, where students can keep returning to push up their grades, will be reversed in this reform of the so-called gold standard qualification.

There will also be questions asked about whether AS-levels should be scrapped.

Universities are to be encouraged to play a greater role in designing A-level courses.

Education Secretary Michael Gove wrote to Ofqual chief Glenys Stacey earlier this year, calling for universities to become more involved in A-levels, so they could better prepare students for degree courses.

The proposals received a mixed reception from teachers’ unions and university organisations.

Ahead of the formal announcement of Ofqual’s consultation, the Russell Group responded to the likely changes.

On the question of modular testing, the Russell Group said that “students too often quickly forget the ‘bite-sized chunks’ of knowledge they have learnt” – and as such the ending of the modular system would be welcomed.

There was also support for a reduction in resits. “We think it’s fair that people are given a second chance if they have good reasons for underperforming in an exam, but more recently students have been allowed to do resits too frequently,” said the Russell Group’s director general, Wendy Piatt.

She also highlighted deeper concerns about the quality of the qualifications.

“Maths A-level poses particular problems: some modules are just not challenging enough to equip students not only to do a maths degree but also to go onto to degrees in engineering or physics.

“There has been too much focus on an emotional response to texts rather than on robust critical analysis in some subjects like English,” she said.