Proposals to maybe abolish AS-levels and change the grading structure of GCSEs have stirred controversy among stools in Northern Ireland. The Department of Education (DE) has been keenly focused on finding reforms. Specifically, these revisions would do away with AS-levels, which as of now hold a huge sway in the A-level landscape for students of the area.
The plan would move to something more like a two-year A-level course. Under this radical new system, students’ high-stakes exams would happen only at the end of their education. This shift not only seeks to address concerns regarding the frequency of assessments and the effect they are having on instructional time.
Shea, 17, thinks the exam format—as it is now—is “really good. He welcomes the contribution of AS-levels in measuring student achievement, but does see a merit in a more simplified process.” “Without that AS knowledge of how you’re doing in exams, it’s hard to base what’s realistic for you to get into university and everything,” he explained.
Lily, also 17, fondly recalls her experience with AS-levels, stating, “I think it was really, really handy and it took a lot of pressure off me especially for this year.” Finally, she described how these grades provided clarity around her baseline knowledge versus knowledge at present day—something that bolstered her persistence to college.
Kayla, 17 and in her last year of school, told us how worried she was that AS-levels were going to be scrapped. She discovers that keeping the modules separate reduces her grading burden. “It’s more stressful than having the two separate years where I can delegate my time better and organise myself more,” Kayla stated. Her experience with A-level psychology under a linear exam board has made her acutely aware of the pressures associated with end-of-course assessments.
Tara, who similarly just finished her AS-levels, is really appreciative of the opportunity. “Having it spread over the two years, it’s really, really helpful that it’s taking pressure off me for the A2,” she noted. The current structure freed her from the anxiety of having to stuff all of that material into one high stakes final exam.
According to the DE consultation, “This is a matter of concern and means valuable teaching and learning time is lost through frequent assessments.” The changes proposed would go a long way toward correcting these failures. They will allow educators to spend more time fostering students’ masterful comprehension of content areas rather than constantly shift toward mere test prep.
Former Northern Ireland Education Minister Paul Givan has weighed in on the matter, highlighting the challenges posed by a fragmented assessment system. He even warned that an over-reliance on tests robs students of other important learning opportunities. “So much time is being spent in preparation for exams… All of that is taking away from the ability to actually sit in the class, engage in the subject matter and to learn about it,” he said. In the statement, he stated his concern for the excessive testing of young people that threatens to undermine the entirety of their educational experience.
As the debate rages on around these groundbreaking education reforms, students are still split on whether they helped or hurt. While Shea is guardedly optimistic, he understands the importance of AS-levels in offering a window into what students are truly capable of. In the opposite direction, Kayla’s worries are indicative of a worry that exists among colleagues everywhere about going back to only using a two-year assessment again.
