The established A-Level qualifications that have been in place for over 70 years are set to be replaced. Rishi Sunak has proposed many changes to the education system for those aged 16-18. The proposals outline the replacement of A Level Examinations with an Advanced British Standard Qualification, bringing together A Levels and T Levels, in which the subjects of English and Maths are compulsory.
Reasoning behind the alterations was highlighted by Sunak on the 4th of October, where he stated that “students don’t spend enough time in the classroom – a quarter of our children leave education without the basic literacy and numeracy they need to fulfil their potential.”
Students don’t spend enough time in the classroom. A quarter of our children leave education without the basic literacy and numeracy they need to fulfil their potential.
Though the proposals are long term with implementation potentially not beginning until 2033-34, the magnitude of this change is not to be dismissed. Not only will classroom hours increase by 15% for most sixth formers, but students will also be expected to study five subjects.
This change may overstretch the teaching workforce and lead to potential burnout of school leavers, who will be expected to endure an additional 195 hours of classes to understand five subjects in the same depth as current A-level students do in three.
Considering the current climate of teacher strikes, the prospect of increasing the workloads of already stretched teacher’s schedules with limited pay rises does raise questions.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union highlights how schools are “already short of 4300 maths and 2600 English teachers” yet the reform would “require an additional 5300 teachers” A problem the government needs to solve before introducing reforms to pupils.
The Prime Minister’s proposals may also affect the transition in education for those students wishing to go to university. School leavers completing the Advanced British Standards will not be specialising as intensely in certain subjects as current A-Level students do, meaning the leap from post-16 education to a degree may be much larger than at present. Currently, students study a narrow range of subjects in line with their preparations for university.
Though positive implications of the change are highlighted by Robert Halfon, who states that “students will have a much wider curriculum, so they get the skills that they need, and employers want.”