Further Decisions for Completing GCSE, AS and A Level Reform in 2017

Get the facts: AS and A level reform

1. Introduction

New AS and A levels will be taught in schools in England from September 2015. The first results for the new AS levels will be in 2016, and for the A levels in 2017. Further subjects will be introduced over the following two years.

2. What new AS and A levels will look like

The main features of the new qualifications are:

1.       Assessment will be mainly by exam, with other types of assessment used only where they are needed to test essential skills.

2.       AS and A levels will be assessed at the end of the course. AS assessments will typically take place after 1 year’s study and A levels after 2. The courses will no longer be divided into modules and there will be no exams in January.

3.       AS and A levels will be decoupled – this means that AS results will no longer count towards an A level, in the way they do now.

4.       AS levels can be designed by exam boards to be taught alongside the first year of A levels.

5.       The content for the new A levels has been reviewed and updated. Universities played a greater role in this for the new qualifications than they did previously.

3. Timetable

New AS and A level to be taught from:	First AS results will be issued in:	First A level results will be issued in:	Subjects
September 2015	Summer 2016	Summer 2017	art and design biology business chemistry computer science economics English language English language and literature English literature history physics psychology sociology
September 2016	Summer 2017	Summer 2018	ancient languages (classical Greek, Latin) dance drama and theatre geography modern foreign languages (French, German, Spanish) music physical education religious studies
September 2017	Summer 2018	Summer 2019	accounting ancient history archaeology classical civilisation design and technology electronics environmental science film studies further mathematics geology government and politics history of art law mathematics media studies music technology philosophy statistics

Any subjects being listed as a new AS and A level to be taught from September 2017 must have core content developed that meets our principles. Until the content is drafted, it is not possible to say for certain that all of the subjects listed above will be available to be taught from September 2017. You can find out more information about this in www.gov.uk. 

Reference: www.gov.uk