How are you feeling about this new system?

I agree with you guys.

I am honestly really confused about it :/. If you decide to take, for example, Physics for A-level do you only take the the A2 exams or do you take both the AS and A2 despite AS not counting towards the A-level.

I suggest you read the specification that will tell you what exams you will face.

Posted from TSR Mobile

I have read them multiple times but there is no clear indication as to what exams you will take at the end of the two years. For Chemistry OCR B (Salters) I believe there are two exams in the AS/first year specification and three exams and one practical endorsement in the full A-level/second year specification. So, what I am wanting to know is whether you will take the AS/first year exams and A-level/second year exams for the whole A-level or just the A-level/second year exams. Sorry for asking this question but I think it is quite important to know. Thanks!

I don't like the fact that all of the exams are in year 13. I'll just be starting year 13 and I know that I'll want to resit certain exams, this will no longer be an option (without retaking a year?)

Haha, I just posted a thread like this a couple mintues ago: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3559815

But personally I dont think it's a very good idea. At all. It will lead to a LOT of slacking off for many in the first part of the year if an exam is taken in the second and thats not even the only thing wrong with it :/

I thought I already answered it on another thread.
Whether you take the AS exams at the end of year 1 is a policy decision taken by your school. You would be awarded an AS qualification if you passed but the marks do not carry over to your final result.
You will not take the AS exams in your second year you will just take exams and practical assessments specified in the full A level specification.

Yes, you said something along the lines of that but this explanation makes way more sense. Anyway, sorry for asking a similar question, but at least I understand fully now! Thanks for your help!

No prob, thought you just didn't believe me which is why I recommended the specification, keep asking questions until things make sense



Posted from TSR Mobile

I've been wondering this. I we allowed to retake year 13 if we like?

I thought I already answered it on another thread.
Whether you take the AS exams at the end of year 1 is a policy decision taken by your school. You would be awarded an AS qualification if you passed but the marks do not carry over to your final result.
You will not take the AS exams in your second year you will just take exams and practical assessments specified in the full A level specification.

I don't think this is true if you're doing reformed subjects. On gov education and the exam board's websites such as AQA, I remember clearly reading that that reformed A level's exams will be taken after the two years, regardless if you have taken AS at year 12. AS is now a standalone qualification meaning that even if you did take it at year 12, you'd have to resit those AS exams and do your A2 exams to receive the full A level. This is why most schools are telling students to pick only three subjects if they are all new ones as they'll have a lot of pressure in year 13. Some schools are also only allowing two new subjects max with subject choices. Other schools are not even doing the standalone AS exams next year but rather are just preparing their students for year 13. So doing your AS level exams next year would be extra qualifications, you'd still have to do them again with your A2 exams.

A lot of people in my sixth form started dropping out right before the exams started due to 'stress' (in reality they were too busy slacking throughout the whole year). Imagine if people were to do the same in the new system, they would have to waste 2 years instead of 1. Also, it means that there's even more exams that have to be taken at once. It will be pretty tough to memorize so much for the exam period. Another thing is that from GCSE to A Levels, people will have a 1 year break from exams which will simply get people out of the exam mood (which is a bad thing). Knowing that I have exams gives me motivation to revise 24/7, without that thought I would too start slacking

Another problem is that if someone from my year group wanted to retake year 12, they would have to start the new system. During my uni open day visits, a lot of the students said that they retook year 12 and managed to go from (eg) CCD to AAB as they've had one extra year to learn everything they need for the exam + they've had real exam practice. All of the modules are changing so you can't do that anymore.