The changing pattern of A level/AS uptake in England

Abstract

One of the objectives of Curriculum 2000 is to increase the breadth of the curriculum followed by 16–19 year olds. In this paper A level and AS uptake for the years 2001 and 2002 are considered. There was considerable diversity in the uptake of A levels, with nearly 21,000 different combinations of A levels being present in 2002 A level results. Although it is true that biology, chemistry and mathematics is the most common combination of A levels, only 2.2 per cent of candidates took this precise combination. There has been a decline in the percentage of candidates taking three science A levels. In 2002, when only A levels are considered, 35 per cent of candidates could be described as specialists, falling to 21 per cent when AS results are included. AS qualifications appear to have been successful in broadening the curriculum.

Keywords:

• A level
• Curriculum 2000
• uptake