Petition Save One Year AS-Level Courses

We the undersigned urge the government to reconsider the decision to abolish AS exams after one year of A-level study.

This change is unnecessary and will jeopardise progress towards fairer access to the UK’s top universities. It will reduce social mobility as those from less advantaged backgrounds will be unable to demonstrate their potential in external A-level exams prior to their university application. Under the current system, AS-levels give talented but disadvantaged students the confidence to apply to university. Assessment and learning are not mutually exclusive. Exams can highlight areas of the syllabus which students have not fully grasped. They motivate students to learn, and enable many to confirm their understanding of subjects before developing their knowledge still further in the second year.

We call on the government to listen to the views of universities, students, parents and teachers and to keep AS examinations after the first year of A-level study.