Plans to reform A levels

[CruCru]

There’s a thing in the Times today about Rishi Sunak’s plans to reform A levels. His intention is to make English and Maths compulsory until age 18 and to introduce a baccalaureate-style qualification to allow pupils to study more subjects after 16.

What do you think of this? I must admit that I think it is a good idea - partly because I chose my A levels at 15 and my degree at 17 (I am young for my school year). Given the choice again, I might have chosen differently.

There is no capacity in schools now to change anything on this scale. No I am not learning a new spec now and putting the time and effort into resourcing it. No.

I broadly agree with the idea in principle, but no.

It sounds awful. Are any creative subjects going to be on there?

This may well work for some children, but not all.
My dd struggled a bit through school , dragged herself through GCSEs, did so much better at A levels, where she could concentrate on the subjects that interested her and is now excelling at Uni.

Being forced to study a subject they aren’t good at and have no interest in, may well make some children give up trying.

I do think a levels are too narrow

I’d be in favour in principle but would worry about creative subjects which are likely to be deprioritised

however I think the actual chances of this happening any time soon are close to nil.

I would hate it.
I did maths a level. But couldnt have done more english.
Instead i would suggest a test more like usa sats for English to cover vocab.

I would make gcse literature optional to give more options

And would continue IT if anything to during alevels.
Or let the 1/3 who fail maths and eng or look likely to have the option to drop back a whole year.

is this similar to the US school system - i think they carry on with all their subjects until 18?

don't know enough about it to have an opinion on how well it works.

The current UK system works well for people who know what they want to do, or people that only excel in a couple of subjects but i suppose does not cater for those who still have no idea what they want to do/specialise in.

I'm very intrigued as to how they will set for all the maths A level groups given almost 40% of kids don't pass GCSE and where they will get all the teachers from.

I detested maths and had longed for years to be able to study the A levels that I had already picked back in primary.

Suspect there will be a lot of classes where the kids are "present" and not much more.

We already have IB for those who want a broader option.

Mainly I'm praying DD is through the system before they have a new set of educational guinea pigs. They have already had to deal with Covid messing up 2 years of their education.

Even if it’s a good idea it would be so far down my list of priorities for the state to spend money on that I deem it pointless. I actually think education from a curriculum point of view is good in the U.K., it just needs investment into school facilities and budgets, and teachers need to be paid fairly.

They need to do the boring stuff like paying enough to retain teachers and ensuring schools don't collapse.

Not sure how fannying about with the curriculum could possibly be a priority when the basics are not in place. You need a building with teachers in it.

I was taking a similar exam in another country 33 years ago. What utter nonsense was it instead of focusing on the subject that will be Uni entrance?

In the UK you can take A-levels but also IB which is far more subjects and at a lower level. If somebody wants that, there is nothing to stop him/her now.

I am fed up with Rishi

exactly. Thumbs up

It'll never happen. There aren't enough maths teachers to teach GCSE now.