How do the new A-Levels work?

Hi so I just had my first week of sixth form and I am looking at what textbook to buy for OCR A-level chemistry. However, a lot of the textbooks say A-S Level. But I thought you are only assessed at the end of two years and A-S no longer existed?

Reply 1

Muttley79

20

Original post by HN786

Hi so I just had my first week of sixth form and I am looking at what textbook to buy for OCR A-level chemistry. However, a lot of the textbooks say A-S Level. But I thought you are only assessed at the end of two years and A-S no longer existed?

AS still exists but does not count towards the final grade anymore. Many schools are not entering students for AS now. Do check the book are linked to the current specification; isn't your school providing books?

Reply 2

PODHEC1

OP

13

Original post by Muttley79

AS still exists but does not count towards the final grade anymore. Many schools are not entering students for AS now. Do check the book are linked to the current specification; isn't your school providing books?

Yes, they're linked to the current specification. But the prices are ridiculous. £30 for AS Level chemistry and £30 for the second year. Also isnt the content the same so it should all just be in one book?

Reply 3

thotproduct

19

To sum:

A Levels are now linear courses, in the past, you would take an AS exam at the end of Y12, based on everything you have covered then, and get a grade in it, highest grade being an A, and how you do in that counts towards your final grade at the end of Y13. At the end of Y13 you would sit your A2 exams, based on everything you covered in Y13, and how you do in that + how you did in AS makes up the final A Level grade.

A Levels being linear doesn't mean AS exams don't exist, they do. They still assess the first year of content, however they are 'decoupled', i.e they do not contribute to your final grade, your final grade is entirely dependent on how you do in the final exams at the end of Y13.

Reply 4

PODHEC1

OP

13

So does every school enter for AS exams?? Are they externally marked or internal

Reply 5

PODHEC1

OP

13

Our school said they’re doing ‘mocks’

Reply 6

Muttley79

20

Original post by HN786

So does every school enter for AS exams?? Are they externally marked or internal

The new AS levels are still external exams - most schools aren't paying for them and are just using school-set exams.

Reply 7

maths_student6

6

Original post by HN786

Hi so I just had my first week of sixth form and I am looking at what textbook to buy for OCR A-level chemistry. However, a lot of the textbooks say A-S Level. But I thought you are only assessed at the end of two years and A-S no longer existed?

I would check with the school what textbook they want you to have. When a textbook says it is "AS" or "Year 1" it means it is Year 12 content and when it says "A2" or "Year 2" it means it is Year 13 content. There are also textbooks that combine the year 12 and 13 content into one big (and heavy!) book which will say "Year 1 and 2" or just "A level".

Assuming you are doing the Chemistry A specification you could get:

•

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Level-Chemistry-Year-Student-Book/dp/0198351968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537027313&sr=8-1&keywords=ocr+a+level+chemistry AND

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Level-Chemistry-Year-Student-Book/dp/0198357656/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1537027360&sr=8-4&keywords=ocr+a+level+chemistry

•

Or

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Level-Chemistry-OCR-Student-Book/dp/0198351976/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537027384&sr=8-3&keywords=ocr+a+level+chemistry

•

Or https://www.amazon.co.uk/OCR-Level-Chemistry-2015-ActiveBook/dp/1447990781/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537027414&sr=8-2&keywords=ocr+a+level+chemistry AND

https://www.amazon.co.uk/level-Chemistry-Student-ActiveBook-Science/dp/1447990811/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1537027432&sr=8-5&keywords=ocr+a+level+chemistry

The combined year 12/13 book works out a bit cheaper but is more heavy for lugging around.

OP

Thanks

So are AS exams essentially almost like mocks? They don’t really count towards anything. Correct?

Reply 10

maths_student6

6

Original post by Dan192

So are AS exams essentially almost like mocks? They don’t really count towards anything. Correct?

If your school enters you for the AS exams ( a lot of schools don't) then whatever grade you get in them will be your real AS grade and you will get that result in results day in summer year 12 and will have to put it on your UCAS. But then when you takes your A level in year 13, you take exams on all year 12 and 13 content so the AS doesn't count for anything by then. (It used to be that they added your marks from the AS exams to your A2 exams in year 13 to get the A level mark, now they just use your year 13 mark).

Reply 11

Dan192

11

Original post by maths_student6

If your school enters you for the AS exams ( a lot of schools don't) then whatever grade you get in them will be your real AS grade and you will get that result in results day in summer year 12 and will have to put it on your UCAS. But then when you takes your A level in year 13, you take exams on all year 12 and 13 content so the AS doesn't count for anything by then. (It used to be that they added your marks from the AS exams to your A2 exams in year 13 to get the A level mark, now they just use your year 13 mark).

You know the grade I get in Year 12 (My AS grade). If I got a bad grade in them will that be bad or it doesn’t matter?

Im worried that universities will decline me due to my AS results if I do bad in them

Reply 12

maths_student6

6

Original post by Dan192

You know the grade I get in Year 12 (My AS grade). If I got a bad grade in them will that be bad or it doesn’t matter?

Im worried that universities will decline me due to my AS results if I do bad in them

If your school does enter you for the AS exams (instead of internal mocks at the end of year 12) then yes, your grades will have to go on UCAS so universities will see them. Your predicted A level grades and GCSEs will also be important but unfortunately you do need to do as well as you can in the AS. Like if you got a D in the AS and then your A level prediction was an A, the university would be sceptical of you getting your prediction.

Reply 13

Dan192

11

Original post by maths_student6

If your school does enter you for the AS exams (instead of internal mocks at the end of year 12) then yes, your grades will have to go on UCAS so universities will see them. Your predicted A level grades and GCSEs will also be important but unfortunately you do need to do as well as you can in the AS. Like if you got a D in the AS and then your A level prediction was an A, the university would be sceptical of you getting your prediction.

Will it be more likely that my school makes us do mocks at the end of year 12?

Reply 14

MKaur18

21

Original post by HN786

Hi so I just had my first week of sixth form and I am looking at what textbook to buy for OCR A-level chemistry. However, a lot of the textbooks say A-S Level. But I thought you are only assessed at the end of two years and A-S no longer existed?

I had AS exams but they didn't count towards my full A level except Maths. Then I did my full A level the following year at sixth form which 100% counts towards the final grade, except maths took 50% AS and 50% A2 marks.

Check with your school if you have to do AS exams, although most schools now do not do them anymore.