A survey of school leaders shows that 65% of respondents have cut
the number of AS level courses they offer since the process of
‘decoupling’ them from A levels began – and that nearly 90%
expect to do so in the future.
Under the ‘old’ system, the AS level could be a qualification in
its own right or contribute towards a full A level. Students
typically studied four subjects at AS stage, and progressed with
three of them to A2.
However, under government reforms being phased in across all
subjects between 2015 and 2019, AS levels no longer count towards
the full A level.
A snapshot survey conducted by the Association of School and
College Leaders in England found that 65% (112 respondents) have
removed AS level courses from the curriculum since 2015.
It also found that 86% (148 respondents) expect to remove AS
courses in the future.
The findings come as the results of this summer’s AS and A levels
are published today (Thursday 17 August). Provisional
figures show that the number of entries for AS subjects
fell by 42% in 2017.
Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and
College Leaders, said: “It is increasingly clear that government
reforms have sounded the death knell for AS levels.
“AS levels allowed students to study four subjects knowing they
would all count towards a qualification, either an AS level or a
full A level.
“They were intended as a way of broadening the curriculum and
were valued by students, employers and universities.
“But the government has decided – against the advice of virtually
everybody in education – to make them standalone qualifications
which no longer count towards the final A level grade.
“Students now have to decide on their final three A level choices
at the outset, and schools and colleges are increasingly focusing
on these qualifications to maximise teaching time, rather than
holding exams for AS levels in Year 12 which do not count towards
the final grade.
“They are under severe funding pressures and cannot afford to run
a suite of standalone AS levels.
“As a result, we are returning to a situation where students
typically study three rather than four subjects in post-16
education.
“The great benefit of the old system was that it gave students a
broader range of knowledge and allowed them to keep their options
open for longer.
“The decision to decouple these qualifications was an entirely
unnecessary reform which is narrowing the curriculum and reducing
student choice.”
