Changes to A levels
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There will be differences between new A levels offered by Awarding Organisations (AOs) to schools in Northern Ireland. The main differences in these A levels are:
- Some AOs will offer A levels that are linear, whereas other AOs will offer modular options;
- Some AOs will offer de-coupled A level qualifications. These are qualifications where students will still be able to take an AS qualification but the marks for this will not count towards the A level grade; and
- Some AOs will offer A level qualifications where the AS will contribute 40% to the overall A level grade.
The table below details the structure of the A levels that each AO will be offering and when these new qualifications will be introduced.
| Awarding Organisation | Date when changes introduced | Exam availability | AS contribution to overall A level grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| AQA | A level subjects introduced for first teaching over three year period 2015 – 2017 | Linear – all exams taken at end of course | None – stand-alone qualification |
| CCEA | All A level subjects introduced for first teaching 2016, apart from Professional Business Services (first teaching September 2017) and Maths and Further Maths (first teaching September 2018). | AS and A2 units will be available in the summer series. Students must complete the necessary units to gain an AS / A level qualification | 40% |
| OCR | A level subjects introduced for first teaching over three year period 2015 – 2017 | Linear – all exams taken at end of course | None – stand-alone qualification |
| Pearson | A level subjects introduced for first teaching over three year period 2015 – 2017 | Linear – all exams taken at end of course | None – stand-alone qualification |
| WJEC | A level subjects introduced for first teaching over three year period 2015 – 2017 | AS and A2 units will be available in the summer series. Students must complete the necessary units to gain an AS / A level qualification | 40% |
| WJEC (Eduqas) | A level subjects introduced for first teaching over three year period 2015 – 2017 | Linear – all exams taken at end of course | None – stand-alone qualification |