From January 2014 onwards there will be no provision for sitting any AS or A2 modules in January. For our Lower Sixth students, this January (2013) will be the final time they can sit exams at this time of year.
Following Ofqual’s consultation on A Level reform over the summer, the
exams regulator today published its key findings.
They confirmed the removal of
January assessments, that will come into effect next academic year. From
September 2013, students will only be able to sit AS and A Level exams in the
summer. This will not only affect all students who start AS or A Level courses
from September 2013, but also those who started their AS courses in September
2012, for whom there will be no opportunities for AS re-sits or A2 units in
January 2014.
OCR Chief Executive Mark Dawe said: “We supported the removal of the
January assessment window in our consultation response and are well placed to
respond to wider A Level reform, given our extensive engagement across the
education community - teachers, students, learned societies, and employers, as
well as university academics.
"However Ofqual needs to confirm the basic ground rules to meet the
current deadline for roll out of reformed A Levels in September 2014. The issue
of retaining the AS for example needs to be resolved. The majority of
universities have spoken clearly in favour of retaining the qualification. As
part of a university, OCR is also very sympathetic to the concerns raised by
the university sector that the model for involvement in A Levels is flexible
and practical.“