Million Plus

We believe that decoupling the AS level from the A level, creating a standalone qualification which will not contribute to an A level grade, will be detrimental to many students wanting to progress through post-16 study.

AS levels as part of a full A level allow students to study in a modular way, enabling them to track their progress, and meaning more students can get the most from their education.

The AS level also allows students to study a broad range of subjects, without being forced to specialise too early. Removing this choice denies students the opportunity to discover a particular aptitude or passion for subject areas in which they previously did not have much confidence.  It will also mean that students will not have the flexibility to take up a new subject at the start of their second year if they find that one of their first subject choices was not well suited to them.

AS levels also help university applicants demonstrate their potential for higher level study, and are highly useful to universities in making their admissions decisions.

We are calling for a full reversal of the decoupling of the AS and A level, allowing students to take an AS level as part of their full A level qualification.
 

Signatories:

• National Union of Students (NUS)
• million +
• Association of Colleges (AoC)
• Unison
• Sixth Form Colleges Association
• Guild HE
• National Association for Managers of Student Services in Colleges (NAMSS)
• Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL)
• University and College Union (UCU)
• National Union of Teachers (NUT)
• Northumbria Students' Union
• London School of Economics Students' Union
• City of Oxford College
• Kent Union
• Tom Harrison, Welfare Officer at Sheffield Students' Union
• University of Bradford Union of Students
• Bangor University Students' Union
• Middlesbrough College Students' Union
• UWE Students' Union
• Walsall College Students' Union
• University of Sussex Students' Union
• Rianna Gargiulo, Welfare officer at Students’ Association University of West Scotland
• Aberystwyth University Students' Union
• Brookes Union
• Sandwell College Students' Union
• Sheffield College Students' Union
• Amy Smith, FE Zone Committee Member
• University of Manchester Students' Union
• Leeds College of Art Students' Union
• Liverpool Guild of Students
• Burton and South Derbyshire College Students' Union
• Leicester Students' Union
• De Montford University Students' Union
• Leeds University Union
• University of Plymouth Students' Union
• The Sheffield College
• Sheffield College Students' Union
• Milton Keynes Students’ Union