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A-levels to be made 'more stretching' Tougher A-levels to allow fewer re-takes
(39 minutes later)
By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondentBy Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent
A-levels will be strengthened by fewer resits, final exams rather than "modules" and more stretching content, say top universities, as the exam regulator is set to announce reforms. A-levels should be strengthened by only allowing one re-sit, replacing "modules" with end-of-year exams and more university involvement, says the exam watchdog, Ofqual.
The Russell Group says maths A-level is not "challenging enough" and English needs more "robust critical analysis". Ofqual chief, Glenys Stacey, says too many re-sits by pupils can "devalue individual exams".
The exam regulator Ofqual is to put forward changes to A-levels, including a greater role for universities. There are also questions over whether AS-levels should be scrapped.
The Russell Group says it backs ending learning in "bite-sized chunks". The A-level reforms will also mean "higher education becomes more involved," says Ms Stacey.
Ofqual is to launch a consultation on the future of A-levels, setting out how this qualification, studied in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, might be reformed. Ofqual is setting out proposals on changes to A-levels, which will be open for consultation for three months.
If the proposals are adopted, the first changes would be applied to A-level courses beginning in September 2013 - with pupils taking reformed exams in summer 2015.
'Gold standard''Gold standard'
The modular approach - where a subject is studied and assessed in chunks - is likely to be reduced, with a greater emphasis on final exams. This "gold standard" qualification is taken by pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The increase in resits, where students can keep returning to push up their grades, will be reversed in this reform of the so-called gold standard qualification. The exam watchdog is suggesting a shift away from a "modular" structure - and a reduction in the opportunities for pupils to keep re-taking exam components to push up their grades.
There will also be questions asked about whether AS-levels should be scrapped. The proposals call for an end of the January exams and puts forward the option of only allowing one re-take for AS and final A-level exams.
Universities are to be encouraged to play a greater role in designing A-level courses. This would mean that there would only be one set of exams each year, in the summer term at the end of each of the two years.
Education Secretary Michael Gove wrote to Ofqual chief Glenys Stacey earlier this year, calling for universities to become more involved in A-levels, so they could better prepare students for degree courses. Ms Stacey says this would "re-balance the emphasis of A-levels onto the learning rather than the assessment".
The proposals received a mixed reception from teachers' unions and university organisations. The role of AS-levels remains open to debate - with questions raised about whether they should continue in their current form.
Ahead of the formal announcement of Ofqual's consultation, the Russell Group responded to the likely changes. Ofqual says it is "neutral" on the future of AS-levels and sets out three options - scrapping them altogether, keeping them in their current form or turning them into a standalone qualification which did not contribute to the A-level.
On the question of modular testing, the Russell Group said that "students too often quickly forget the 'bite-sized chunks' of knowledge they have learnt" - and as such the ending of the modular system would be welcomed. If AS-levels were to be scrapped, it would mean A-levels returning to a two-year course with a final set of summer exams.
There was also support for a reduction in resits. "We think it's fair that people are given a second chance if they have good reasons for underperforming in an exam, but more recently students have been allowed to do resits too frequently," said the Russell Group's director general, Wendy Piatt. Education Secretary Michael Gove wrote to Ms Stacey earlier this year, calling for universities to become more involved in A-levels, so they could better prepare students for degree courses.
She also highlighted deeper concerns about the quality of the qualifications. The proposals set out by Ofqual say that universities should be engaged in the content and design of A-levels - and that the qualifications should have the support of at least 20 universities.
Responding to the changes, the Russell Group of leading universities said that A-levels were "broadly fit for purpose" - but the changes would be beneficial.
Wendy Piatt, the group's director general, said the culture of re-sits was fuelling "grade inflation" - and so supported limits on re-taking exams.
She also supported a move away from a modular approach to teaching and testing - saying that pupils could arrive at university still expecting to be "spoon fed".
The Russell Group has also voiced concerns about the lack of rigour in some subjects.
"Maths A-level poses particular problems: some modules are just not challenging enough to equip students not only to do a maths degree but also to go on to degrees in engineering or physics."Maths A-level poses particular problems: some modules are just not challenging enough to equip students not only to do a maths degree but also to go on to degrees in engineering or physics.
"There has been too much focus on an emotional response to texts rather than on robust critical analysis in some subjects like English," she said. "There has been too much focus on an emotional response to texts rather than on robust critical analysis in some subjects like English."