I'm going to start sixth form in September 2015. I've been told that all of the exams are going to be linear? so what is happening to AS levels? are they being scrapped?
I'm going to start sixth form in September 2015. I've been told that all of the exams are going to be linear? so what is happening to AS levels? are they being scrapped?
AS levels are not being scrapped, they are now being separated from A level. They will now be two different qualifications. The a-level exam will be taken after two years of studying. How you perform in that exam after two years determines the grade you get.
Yes, so I imagine you will study 4 AS levels in year 12. Once you have completed these and have your grades. You will then have your predicted grades which you will apply to university with. Then in year 13 you will study a-levels. These are totally separate to AS levels. Therefore your grades at AS will have no effect on your A level grades. Your a-level grades will be solely determined by how you perform in your exams at the end of year 13.
I don't know why they have to make life so difficult for students all the time. The whole A-Level course was fine the way it was. This is just confusing.
I don't know why they have to make life so difficult for students all the time. The whol A-Level course was fine the way it was. This is just confusing.
So true. Gove wanted a more rigorous exam system, he has certainly got what he wanted.
I don't know why they have to make life so difficult for students all the time. The whole A-Level course was fine the way it was. This is just confusing.
Agree. So thankful I've finished it. Or hopefully finished it (gulp). Every time I think I'll do fine, I have to add hopefully because I feel like I'm tempting fate otherwise O.O
I am pretty sure (correct me if I am wrong) that there will be no opportunity to resit within the 2 year period. Also if you do resit, you have to resit everything, you can no longer resit individual modules since modules have been scrapped.
AS exams are not being scrapped. They are just no longer part of the a level qualification.
Heres my explanation using an example:
Old spec for A level biology:
AS + A2 = A level.
AS = Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3
A2 = Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6
New spec for A level biology:
AS = AS level qualification which takes 1 year
Paper 1 + Paper 2 = AS in Biology
THESE ARE TOTALLY SEPARATE
A level = A level qualification which takes 2 years
So true. Gove wanted a more rigorous exam system, he has certainly got what he wanted.
It's so stupid though. So many people struggle as it is. Why do they put idiots who have literally no experience in education, incharge of it!? What lunatics do this, honestly.
Agree. So thankful I've finished it. Or hopefully finished it (gulp). Every time I think I'll do fine, I have to add hopefully because I feel like I'm tempting fate otherwise O.O
I KNOW. I do this when waiting for results too!
I am just so angry with these reforms. Everyone knows a-levels are challenging as it is.
I am just so angry with these reforms. Everyone knows a-levels are challenging as it is.
Exactly! I have never put in so much effort into anything before! Literally I almost went insane. Had sleeping problems because I couldn't stop thinking about the amount of work I had. Then I'd break down. Then I'd get up and do work. Not sleeping and just crying was doing nothing to help me. Then I'd go into school the next day hating on everything because I hate mornings and mornings are even more hateful when your tired haha.
And now they're making it harder?! That is more insane than I ever was. And that is a lot.
Exactly! I have never put in so much effort into anything before! Literally I almost went insane. Had sleeping problems because I couldn't stop thinking about the amount of work I had. Then I'd break down. Then I'd get up and do work. Not sleeping and just crying was doing nothing to help me. Then I'd go into school the next day hating on everything because I hate mornings and mornings are even more hateful when your tired haha.
And now they're making it harder?! That is more insane than I ever was. And that is a lot.
My proposal:
All secretary's of education should sit the flipping AS and A2 exams of all of the a-levels possible - we'll see how they do. Maybe then they wont come out with such ridiculous aims.
All secretary's of education should sit the flipping AS and A2 exams of all of the a-levels possible - we'll see how they do. Maybe then they wont come out with such ridiculous aims.
I completely agree. They don't understand how much pressure they put on us to do well. It's mentally and physically draining. And there's such a big jump between GCSE and A level. I really wasn't prepared for that. They say it's a big jump but seriously? I didn't put that much effort into GCSE's but A level's almost killed me!