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Coursework axed as 'easy' A-levels are made harder and students return to studying traditional subjects
In English literature pupils will focus on eight instead of 12 texts In history they will examine a broader sweep of crucial events Sixth-formers will also need to display more mathematical ability
By Sarah Harris PUBLISHED: 23:57 GMT, 25 October 2013 | UPDATED: 02:41 GMT, 26 October 2013

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Tough new A-levels will see a return to teenagers studying traditional subjects in greater depth to restore rigour to the exams. In English literature pupils will focus on eight instead of 12 texts, while in history they will examine a broader sweep of crucial events to better prepare them for university. Sixth-formers will also need to display more mathematical ability in biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, economics and psychology exams.

Changes: Tougher new A-levels will see a return to teenagers studying traditional subjects in greater depth

In a separate move, coursework at A-level is set to be cut back in an effort to toughen up the exams and prevent cheating. In future, the qualifications should include coursework only if a particular skill cannot be assessed by exam, such as in geography fieldwork or art, exam regulator Ofqual said. The Government is introducing harder A-levels in most subjects from September 2015, with reformed maths, further maths and languages A-levels following in 2016. Ministers have already announced that teenagers will be tested at the end of two years with no exams in the first 12 months to stop courses being broken into bite-sized chunks that encourage formulaic teaching.

In English literature, pupils will need to study a minimum of eight texts including one Shakespeare play

AS-levels, currently taken in the first year of the sixth form, will become stand-alone qualifications, with marks no longer counting towards final A-level grades. Professor Mark Smith, vice chancellor of Lancaster University, chaired an independent review of A-levels and yesterday a consultation document, drawn up by exam boards and university academics, was published outlining the proposed subject content of the rigorous new exams. In English literature, pupils will need to study a minimum of eight texts, which must include at least three works from before 1900, including one Shakespeare play, and a post-2000 work. This will enable sixth-formers to look at novels and plays in more detail. Currently, teenagers study six texts at AS-level and a further six at A-level. English literature candidates will also be examined on a previously unseen text. To prepare for examinations with unseen texts, students will need to read widely, broadening their knowledge and their critical and comparative understanding of literature, the consultation document says. In history, sixth-formers will have to study topics from a period of at least 200 years rather than the current range of 100 years, which is now considered too narrow. The focus on British history has been reduced from 25 per cent to 20 per cent because it was felt that pupils will have already developed a good understanding from GCSE studies. More maths is being introduced to economics, computer science and psychology A-levels as well as the three sciences. Other changes include a new emphasis on drawing in art and design, and fieldwork being reintroduced in geography so pupils relate their learning to real experiences of the world.

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Comments (21)
Share what you think Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all Report comment Cosmo1, Ebbw vale, United Kingdom, 43 minutes ago I must cannot see how a literature course can be assessed in one exam. You need coursework in these subjects in order to properly study, research and write a coherent arguement in essay form. The government are wrong, as usual.

4 1 Click to rate Report comment Miss Moneypenny, Kensington, United Kingdom, 47 minutes ago There can't really be any argument against the fact that A levels are too easy nowadays. How is it that employers are finding even those with degrees unable to spell, write grammatically, or do simple arithmetical calculations without a calculator. So many also apparently unable to string a coherent sentence together. This is all down to Blairs determination to water down "elitism" by insisting that everyone went to "university" and achieved "degrees". Of course, all are not capable of this, so the means of getting into "university" had to be made very much easier, and educational establishments which were NOT universities were given university status. Whole thing rubbished and devalued.

0 8 Click to rate Report comment Mary Jane, new york, United States, 1 hour ago my classmate's sister makes $79 hourly on the internet. She has been fired from work for 10 months but last month her pay check was $19471 just working on the internet for a few hours. Discover More... www.Jobs81.Com

3 0 Click to rate Report comment

ramblin rose, fertiliser, 1 hour ago Course work. Or written work carried out at home, perhaps even using computers, is to be cut back ? Why not cut it out ? Carry on with homework, but it should not be considered in marks in examinations of the students ability to recall and show mastery of a subject. That should level up the disparity between the school boys and girls exam results. The next thing to do, is separate the sexes. It must surely be common knowledge that boys who are just learning self control are three years behind the girls in this subject and require separation to free their minds to study lessons instead of biology.

1 3 Click to rate Report comment Jesuis, Reading, 1 hour ago Tony Blair lied to the public about education by promoting a manager instead of god teaching techniques and introduced into higher learning a group of alcohol, sex and drug addicts instead of intellectual energies that promoted the real determined people.

0 1 Click to rate Report comment exPat, Almeria, Spain, 1 hour ago Long overdue. Course work was either Bought, Borrowed or copied off the Internet.

3 8 Click to rate Report comment WeeRitchie83, Ayrshire, 1 hour ago Teaching them how to behave would be a good start!

3 17 Click to rate Report comment PrivateSi, WORCS, 2 hours ago Exam revision crammed into a week of stress, or coursework in much the same manner? Which happens more in real jobs?

3 6 Report comment Jayell, London, United Kingdom, 2 hours ago

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1. Standard advice in the good old days was to AVOID last-minute cramming. 2. What sort of 'real' job are we talking about here? 1 10 Click to rate Report comment ramblin rose, fertiliser, 2 hours ago If you want a degree from a university, as a fifteen year old, you should research the courses and subjects available. The more obscure subject , the less study required and the lower the problem of questions related to the subject and many fewer students too. You will almost certainly get your degree. Forget Mathis and other horrible subjects, too much competition.

17 6 Click to rate Report comment Lewis, Hinckley, 2 hours ago Tried to comment

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