A Level Choices (in new format) and University Entrance

[OrchardDweller]

Another questions on A Levels. DS starts sixth form in September and some of his A Levels choices are in the new two year course format and some of the subjects are still the AS/A Level course format. I am used to the current way of taking four subjects in L6 and then three subjects in U6 and that this is also what the universities are familiar with for entrance requirements.

However, what happens if he follows this pattern but for U6 drops a subject that isn't in the AS/A Level format (but is a two year subject). Will the one year of that subject studied count when it comes to uni applications or will they completely ignore it and he would therefore be penalised for taking this route (and would it have been better not to have started it at all?) .... or should he make sure that the subject he is going to drop for U6 is in the AS/A Level format .... Hope that makes sense!

All these changes are causing a bit of confusion. Help! Is there anyone out there who might be able to throw some light on this issue?

At the sixth forms I've visited, they will get people to sit the AS exam if they are dropping a subject at the end of lower sixth (its still half the syllabus). Cambridge University is encouraging schools to still enter students for AS in all subjects at the end of lower sixth, and most local sixth forms seem to be planning to do that. (Even if pupilswill have to be re-examined in that part of the syllabus in upper sixth).

What mummy time said.

If he drops a new format subject having not done the AS it will NOT count as he wont have been examined in it. For that reason most sixth forms I know of are making all their L6 do the AS even if they plan on continuing the subject.

They are designed to be co-taught so it shouldn't be too big a problem.

What happens if they do really well in the AS exam (year12) and then follow through to take A2, taking the AS part for a second time (year 13) & then get a lower mark? Would they be able to pick the higher AS mark or would they get stuck with the later lower one?

You mean would they be able to use the results from the previous year's exams to count towards the A level? No, i assume not because the AS and A level will be completely separate qualifications. The papers might be in a completely different format even, I suppose.

Doing exams at the end of y12 and y13 will mean they get AS and A level qualifications because (using current parlance), their AS results will automatically be cashed in that first summer.

Not sure I understand littleham - if they did really well in the AS why would they resit it the following year? They'd either drop that subject or carry on and do the A level?

Thanks Atia. That is so nasty! Another way for the government to increase stress levels for teachers, students and parents alike.

Will be affected by this with dd3 (going into sixth form next year). She is not sure which subjects she wants to take to A2 so she is starting with four & will have to take all of them as an AS (only to re-do everything in year 13 for the three she settles on).

...but maybe I have misunderstood?

They would have to sit papers on the topics that form AS, in their second year as part of A'level.

EG. Xology is made up of 4 areas A1 A2 B1 and B2. To get an AS you sit A1 and B1. At present you can "carry over that result for your A'level. However under the new system to get an A'level you have to sit papers in A1, A2, B1 and B2 altogether, even if you have already passed A1 and B1. The paper booklets may even be labled "A1 AS/A'level" etc.

Of course to be even more confusing, some subjects will still be modular for the next couple of years. (Oh and their is a general election - so who knows what will change next.)

I am curious (in a theoretical fashion, ignoring the fact that i have human guinea pigs in y7 and y9!) to see whether schools/students do settle down into still doing 4 subjects with exams at the end of y12, or whether they will end up reverting to 3 subjects and one lot of exams like we (most of us I guess?) did.

This won't seem weird to the over 40s, who predated the AS system.

Doing an exam on the course so far, and having it count externally is probably much less stressful than the original A level system. And for those DC who really don't take to having external exams every single year, the ability to take a year off, but still be on target for the end of 6th form results, may be a stress reducer too.

What happens if my DC want to apply to Cambridge but their school aren't planning on sitting the students for AS level?

What will Cambridge or other universities base their offers on?

Offers will be based on predicted grades, same as now.

I really don't know. Cambridge have made such a big deal out of AS grades, but they are going to have to be extremely careful not to discriminate against anyone whose school doesn't do them. I guess they interview a very high proportion of candidates anyway - perhaps the interview/tests will be extended somewhat?

AuntieStella I think you're right, but I think schools might have problems with the logistics? At the moment, the AS syllabus takes (roughly) two terms to teach, then they have revision/study leave/exams, and then the A2 syllabus starts and has (roughly) a month and two terms of teaching before Easter of y13. Our old A levels had 5 terms of teaching, so 6-8 weeks more time (which might not sound an awful lot, but is a fairly significant proportion of the total time). Will the new A level syllabus be expanded (as I think the new GCSE syllabus is?)? Will schools have time to teach it properly if they do external exams in the middle of it?

In one of my dd's A Level subjects, they have just been told they will have to teach themselves a whole topic from scratch at home as there are not enough lessons left to cover all the topics. If they increase the content for the new A Levels the poor teachers will be up sxxt creek without a paddle.

I don't relish the prospect of dd3 slogging her guts out for AS exams that won't count.

I was at an Oxbridge conference this week and in the teachers' forum Cambridge were basically saying they don't know what they will do after AS and they aren't really making concrete plans until after the election.

The options were,more weight on the interview, more of their own testing (which is what Oxford already do,)or 'stiffer offers'. They were very keen to avoid accusations of discrimination against students who do not have as, pointing to the fact that they take in lots of students with IB or international Al students.