A-levels may be scrapped, says minister
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A-levels could be replaced within a decade, Estelle Morris said yesterday as the storm over charges that this year's results were fixed refused to die down.
The Secretary of State for Education and Skills said she would like to see a much broader curriculum taken in the sixth form and suggested ministers might back the introduction of an English version of the International Baccalaureate.
Damian Green, the Tory Education spokesman, described the proposal, which would bring Britain into line with most other European countries, as a "breathtaking U-turn".
The move to the baccalaureate, in which six subjects are studied, would be one of the biggest changes to the exam system and comes only two years after the government introduced the new AS-level exam in the third term of the lower sixth. A-levels have been seen as the "gold standard" of British education since they were introduced in 1952.
Ms Morris told Breakfast With Frost on the BBC: "We have looked at the baccalaureate and it has never really gone off the drawing board." She added: "Over time, and everybody agrees it is over time", the UK could create a baccalaureate.
"These things take time," she added, "and I think the worst message anybody could give youngsters is that next year there will be change. It is about changing over time because we need stability in our schools."
Her words came after her most senior adviser on school examinations said he was in favour of an end to A-levels and wanted them replaced with a "British baccalaureate" within 10 years.
Professor David Hargreaves, a former chief executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority – the Government's exams watchdog, who now works as an adviser to Ms Morris – acknowledged that nobody was satisfied with the present system, and that what was required was "not just tinkering around" but "something more radical".
The shift in thinking in government circles over examinations is being interpreted as a U-turn by political opponents and teachers' organisations.
Many educationists argued that the Government should move to a British baccalaureate two years ago when it introduced AS-levels. They describe the new system as a fudge. The Welsh Assembly is already introducing a baccalaureate.
Mr Green said: "This is the most breathtaking U-turn ... [She] only introduced the present system two years ago and, after one year of operation, she already says she got it wrong."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments