A levels and AS levels?

[Sinkingfeeling]

OK, so I'm very old - old enough to have done O levels. Could someone please explain to me what AS levels are? Are these normally taken in the year between GCSEs and A levels? How many subjects are normally taken and do most people then go on to take A levels in the same subjects as their AS levels?

A Levels as we knew them were 2 year courses. Nowadays in year 1 they do AS Levels, getting a qualification at the end fo that year. In the 2nd year they progress onto A2, which with the AS then get them a full A Level at the end of year 2.

So basically AS is year 1 and A2 year 2 of the normal A Level courses that we did. Only difference being if you drop a subject at the end of the 1st year you can get a qual. out of it.

An A-level (A2) is divided into modules. The first half of the modules make up the AS qualification. A student can decided to just do the modules that make up the AS, or do all of the modules in order to get an A2.

A typical load would be to start off with 4 AS levels in Year 12, and then carry on 3 of them to A2 in Year 13.

AS levels carry half the UCAS points of an A2.

Ah, that's a very clear explanation from both of you, thank you. My children are still primary age, but I was curious to know what my friends' teenagers were talking about. Now I know.