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Should A Levels be Axed?

Gars de baccalaureats

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i think they should be replaced with IB

yay or nay?

Reply 1

soup_dragon87

So do I. A levels have run their course. IB or the Cam Pre-U should replace them.

Reply 2

vector

15

I think the whole 'A-Levels are too easy' thing will go on for a while longer. I don't think they're a particularly bad system, but perhaps the content and level of difficulty should be looked at.

Reply 3

</gibberish>

12

Excuse me for asking, but what is 'IB'??

Reply 4

Evil-Tuna

2

I don't see why they can't improve the A-Level system. They went to the trouble of introducing AS levels, their great intiative, and it looks like it didnt do any good etc.

And the examiners themselves are often teachers, ex-teachers and stay in contact with teachers regularly, why is the they can't see themselves that exams are getting ''too easy''?

And if subjects really are soft options, how about just scrapping them then? Also if you check percentages of the amount of A's in science subjects, they're often quite a bit higher than subjects like English language. I say that because science subjects are apparently so much ''harder.'' That was one the reasons I read about that led to fewer taking science subjects, apparently. Although, I haven't seen any statistics related to that. I always hear about the 20% get 1 A at A Level. Or something similar.

Reply 5

240920

9

International Baccalaureate- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Baccalaureate

Reply 6

sim90

13

ChrisRAH

Excuse me for asking, but what is 'IB'??

International Baccalaureate.

Reply 7

evil-presence

i think something needs to be done, either look at each subject and make the syllabus harder or introduce IB... too many people are taking advantages of A levels (instead of getting a job) cos the courses are "easy" and some get EMA.

Reply 8

ForumFreak

9

The IB is great for some but to be honest if it was the only option I would have dropped out after my GCSEs and got a job. I'm taking a bioscience subject and I dont see why I should waste two years doing subjects I cant stand only to arrive at uni with less knowledge of science. However for "good all rounder" type people or people who aren't ready to specialize I think its a great option.

Reply 9

Cambyses

Evil-Tuna

And if subjects really are soft options, how about just scrapping them then? Also if you check percentages of the amount of A's in science subjects, they're often quite a bit higher than subjects like English language. I say that because science subjects are apparently so much ''harder.'' That was one the reasons I read about that led to fewer taking science subjects, apparently. Although, I haven't seen any statistics related to that. I always hear about the 20% get 1 A at A Level. Or something similar.

But couldn't this be because the students who do get higher grades are the ones who choose more difficult A levels like sciences? Students who do things like media studies (don't kill me for the generalisation!) or business are probably not as academically able in the first place so wouldn't be getting good grades in any subject. This is a gross generalisation I know, but it may be a factor I think.

Personally, I think A levels are too easy but I do think that the system is good. It's just the content that's lacking. There should be more interesting and challenging content that push students to think in an individual, creative way, as well as acquiring more knowledge and not just exam technique.
I don't think 'soft' subjects should be scrapped at all, though. I just think they should be made twice as difficult, pushing students to learn up to degree level in the subject (but at A level). This would even out the scale and allow people to take subjects that they want and love without lowering their chances of getting into Uni/jobs. It's not right that certain subjects are higher regarded because of the stupidity of the exam boards.

I do think IB is a good alternative but it should remain as a side option as I think there is enough scope in 4 A levels to not feel too specialised but to still do only subjects one enjoys.

Sorry for the rambling post!

Reply 10

Juwel

18

Not axed. Improved, please.

And have the IB offered as an alternative more widely.

Reply 11

db

17

I agree, more attempts should be made to improve them before axing them.

Even then, it may be better to run something alongside A Levels rather than as the only alternative.

Reply 12

e-lover

16

I'm doing a-levels and even I have to say it's preety straight forward and easy. Something that would make it harder is if they forced everyone to take all modules in the summer thus making it hard as you'll have to learn all the syllabus for the summer and not be spoon-fed module at a time in jan and module at a time in june.

Reply 13

*Mike*

11

As an IB student i dont think they would be appropriate for everyone. Especially since not everyone takes a language for GCSE. Also you need to be very hard working to keep up with all of the courseworks, orals and presentations associated with the IB

Reply 14

Sunnydazzleeyes

10

I wish it was axed and we can go from GCSE to university so more people can get in to the top university. But I had to do my Alevel going through so much stress, i believe the ones below us should do the same.

Reply 15

Cambyses

Juwel

Not axed. Improved, please.

And have the IB offered as an alternative more widely.

My thoughts exactly.

Reply 16

db

17

stary.eyes

I wish it was axed and we can go from GCSE to university so more people can get in to the top university. But I had to do my Alevel going through so much stress, i believe the ones below us should do the same.

That makes no sense.

Reply 17

blue.flower

No, not axed, but redesigned to improve it (ie. make it harder).

Also, I agree that the IB should be more widley available. I will be doing IB next year, and have many friends who have already done it - it's certainly not suitable for everyone though.

Reply 18

belle_27

14

Evil-Tuna

I don't see why they can't improve the A-Level system. They went to the trouble of introducing AS levels, their great intiative, and it looks like it didnt do any good etc.

And the examiners themselves are often teachers, ex-teachers and stay in contact with teachers regularly, why is the they can't see themselves that exams are getting ''too easy''?

And if subjects really are soft options, how about just scrapping them then? Also if you check percentages of the amount of A's in science subjects, they're often quite a bit higher than subjects like English language. I say that because science subjects are apparently so much ''harder.'' That was one the reasons I read about that led to fewer taking science subjects, apparently. Although, I haven't seen any statistics related to that. I always hear about the 20% get 1 A at A Level. Or something similar.

As someone else said, the harder subjects have a higher % of As because harder working students take it, those who aren't and are tld it's hard avoid it, like with maths, if you're told it's hard and you're not doing brilliantly at it GCSE then you're put off taking it at A Level. If you look at GCSE Latin results, they're always really high as not many people take it and those who do are quite academic.

Also, they should improve A levels; introduce harder content, harder questions rather than take about axeing it. But the problem is...if you make them harder than more people fail and the government don't want that, make them easier more people pass. In turn the government could then be blamed for not giving enough funding to schools etc for students to get the top grades. But then if they do make them easier, then universities, the media and unions start complaining about A Levels being 'too easy'. There needs to be a consensus where a fall in people get the top grade doesn't necessarily equate bad schooling, which is what will be highlighted if they are made harder and there is a fall.

I think the only way that A Levels will regain their value is to make them harder but not have examiners being so pedantic over things eg you only get a mark for a definition if you give the exact one which the exam boards wants. They need to teach harder stuff, and challenge students to think more rather than just regurgitate facts and show that you have understanding of the subject. They also need to have a more creative element to them, so that they allow people to express their own thoughts on subject matters, for example, in subjects like History whereas now if you do that you can write a brilliant essay but not get any marks because it doesn't match the mark scheme criteria. A Levels these days seem to want you to show that you ahve an understanding of things rather than the ability to apply your knowledge.

Also, has anyone noticed that whenever a particularly hard paper does get given, it often doesn't really cause a great shift in grades as the examiners move the grade boundaries. So really even if there is a hard paper given, the amount of students getting As/Bs/Cs is the same, so whats the point of making papers even harder when it doesn't make a different to the number of people getting As etc? The exam boards and the government are the ones that need to sort out their priorities i.e. whether they want the 'gold standard' back or whether they want to boast about how much they've improved education standards of which grades is the primary indicator.

If papers are to get harder (without the grade boundaries being moved so the overall outcome is the same as the previous year) then emphasis needs to be put on lower grades being good and only the very best getting an A or A* if they introduce it.

I don't do the IB but it runs at my school, my year was the first to have it on offer but from what I got told by friends and heard in general was that it was A LOT of hard work, the amount of work they have is enormous and they are given really high university offers to meet as universities aren't aware of how hard it is to achieve a 7.

The IB isn't perfect for everyone, for some people it's great but for others it'll be a waste of time and too much of a pressure on them. For me personally I wouldn't have been able to do my subject choices, the amount of work would have crushed me and I'd have had to take subjects I hated and was rubbish it (languages and maths), which would drag my overall point score down even if I could have got top marks in my best subjects.

I really hate the way that the media makes out as if the IB is the be all and end all without really knowing anything about it. They can state that over a 100 state and independent schools now offer the IB but that doesn't mean that everyone loves the IB etc which is what they make out. A lot of schools have a very small proportion of students actually taking it; my school has now started its third year of doing it and its struggled each year to get people to take it.

Reply 19

free_the_mind

1

I agree A level's should be 'improved' but not axed. I wouldn't call them 'easy' as some people here have said...but nevertheless they could be 'improved' for the more able students. I don't agree that the soo called 'soft' subjects should be 'scrapped' as everyone has different abilities and people should be able to choose what they want...an perhaps they should be made harder as someone mentioned. A levels may be getting easier but people work hard to achieve their grades.

Should A Levels be Axed?

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