This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Can TSR design a better A-level system?

Hey guys,

Results are only a couple of days away and no doubt the media is preparing its annual attack on education standards.

So I thought, with all these threads on the Conservatives' plans popping up, what changes would you make to the current A-level system?

Scrap modules? Increase subjects taken? Include compulsory subjects? Tweak the value each A-level carries? What is to be done about 'soft' subjects: would you scrap any, and of those that you keep how can they be made 'hard'er in the eyes of the universities?

I'm interested :biggrin:

I'll begin: allow a maximum of one resit per module.

(Apologies if this is in the wrong forum.)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

smalltownboy

Scrap exams, make it all coursework based. And no resits of coursework.

Reply 2

acid8000

Wrong forum. :wink:

I'd personally prefer it to be more self studying, but that's because I get bored working at teacher pace.

Edit: And yeah, scrap exams. They don't really indicate how good someone is at a subject, more like how much they revise the questions that will almost certainly come up.

Reply 3

Hippysnake

-No coursework
-No modular exams
-One major, unretakable exam at the end of the A-Level.

Reply 4

cpj1987

A much wider range of subjects, taught in a much wider variety of ways.

Reply 5

Anon the 7th

let only one 'soft' subject be taken (not all 3 a levels to be 'soft')

isnt that what BTEC's are for?

Reply 6

Anon the 7th

oh yes, and straight A's for all! :p:

Reply 7

forever_dreamer

Hippysnake

-No coursework
-No modular exams
-One major, unretakable exam at the end of the A-Level.

No pressure then?

I think coursework is a better indicator of your understanding of the subject. This way it might be less about learning how to pass an exam and more about learning about the topics.

Reply 8

MaccyG

More exam periods say 4 throughout a year so lots of revision for lots of subjects doesnt happen all at once.

Reply 9

*MJ*

I don't know about TSR but I can and I bet everyone will agree with it. :biggrin:

Basically, no exams, no coursework, no stress, all you do is EAT PIZZA! :pizza:

The more pizza you eat, the higher your grade. :cool:

U (loser) = 0-1, E = 2-3, D = 4-5, C = 6-7, B = 8-10, A = 10+.

That way I will always get AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA and so will a lot of people because 10 slices isn't that much on a small pizza. :woo:

Come on, who agrees? :party:

I would say Pakoras and although most would agree, some wouldn't. :ninja:

Whereas for pizza, everyone has to say yes! :biggrin:

Reply 10

eulerwaswrong

smalltownboy

Scrap exams, make it all coursework based. And no resits of coursework.

what is the thought process behind that - studies show that the marks gained in coursework by pupils depends heavily on the quality of teaching. Teachers can quite easily help pupils cheat - coursework is not fair end of.

Infact i would abolish coursework alltogether. Id change from 6 exams to 4 or maybe even less.

I would get rid of exam boards - i dont really see the point in them - they are an expensive waste - just have one exam board.

I would make them harder, for example only the top 5% get As or whatever - the average grade would be a C for example.

I know it sounds strange but i would try and reduce the number of people doing them. I would really really push vocational qualifications. Thousands of kids every year decide to stay on for 6th form because they dont know what else to do - they end up doing subjects they dont enjoy just for the sake of it and waste 2 years of their life and end up on the dole after so its a waste to everyone. Id really push vocational qualifications, not jsut your plumbing, carpentry etc - but officey jobs aswell - day release schemes etc

Reply 11

TheTallOne

Anon the 7th

let only one 'soft' subject be taken (not all 3 a levels to be 'soft')

isnt that what BTEC's are for?

What about adults who have decided to take only 1 A level?

What about people who can only take 2, etc. Not everyone takes 3.

Reply 12

MikeHarris

Remove gradings, so as the less talented kids cannot get upset. Competition is bad. Replace exams and coursework with a group-written essay which the class will all contribute to but will be written by the teacher. As long as each student puts in enough effort they will pass. Students will be assigned to universities via a lottery system of sorts, probably run by Camelot who have done a good job with the national lottery I think.

Reply 13

TSR Community Staff

What do I think would make A Levels better?

1/ Vary exam questions more from year to year.
2/ Encoruage people to at least take some of the more academic/traditional subjects and fewer of the newer/less traditional subjects
3/ Limit the number of resits people can take to just once per module
4/ Limit the number of resits someone can take in total for a qualification (perhaps no more than 50% of all modules they sit for a qualification)

The limits on the resits is because in life you don't always get to resit things if it doesn't turn out well first time. So it would encoruage more people to work for their exam and then learn to deal with it if they don't get their top grade.

Reply 14

betty2

Which subjects count as 'soft' A-levels? How ridiculous.

Reply 15

Anon the 7th

TheTallOne

What about adults who have decided to take only 1 A level?

What about people who can only take 2, etc. Not everyone takes 3.

oh yeah...:rolleyes;

well obviosusly it doesnt matter if theyre only taking 1, it can be whatever they want

2 a levels one 'soft' and one 'hard'

then of course theres the people who take 4,5 or 6 A Levels.......

Reply 16

Sariya

Give students one-to-one mentors throughout the course of their education.

Nothing could possibly make a greater difference than that.

Reply 17

will.

More coursework and individual research examinations. Can only retake a piece of individual research after the 2 years in a retake year, and cannot retake the coursework.

Reply 18

will.

AirRaven

Give students one-to-one mentors throughout the course of their education.

Nothing could possibly make a greater difference than that.

Good idea.

Reply 19

donks169

All subjects 50% coursework, 50% exam based.

More modules, more frequently, but no retakes of modules unless there is a reason like someone died or something.