Universities still focus on A-level results, says exam watchdog

It suggests many schools believe universities do not look beyond traditional A-level results.

But the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority reports "modest success" in encouraging students to study a broader range of subjects.

And it says that classroom opposition to AS-levels has subsided.

The introduction of AS-levels was part of an attempt to allow pupils to have a wider range of subjects than the traditional three A-levels.

Opposition 'diminished'

But there were complaints that the addition of AS-levels, taken before the final A-level year, was creating an overcrowded timetable, which was putting students under too much pressure.

The report from the qualifications watchdog says schools are now much more confident in offering AS-levels and the broader curriculum.

And it says opposition from schools towards the extra qualifications had now diminished.

"Much of the initial disquiet about implementation, examinations timetabling and understanding of standards has declined," the report says.

But it adds that surveys during the past three years indicate that 57% of schools do not believe universities have accepted the wider range of subjects when considering applications.

Diversity

It says the surveys "reveal an increasingly negative response to the question that asked centres whether they believed that universities recognise the increased breadth in student programmes".

"Many of the selecting institutions tended to focus on the subjects taken at A-level."

The report concludes that efforts to encourage students to take a wider range of subjects had made some progress.

Almost three-quarters of students are still taking the traditional three A-levels, but 58% are also sitting four AS-levels.

This fourth AS-level was allowing students to attempt a more diverse range of subjects, although there was still a tendency to specialise in a particular area, such as science and maths or the arts and languages.

Review awaited

A review of the exam system in the upper secondary years has been undertaken by the former chief inspector of schools, Mike Tomlinson.

It is due to make proposals for the future of GCSEs, AS- and A-levels and vocational qualifications.

But the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, David Hart, said: "The QCA report proves conclusively that Curriculum 2000 isn't working.

"In particular, it is not delivering the broad curriculum we need for post-16 students.

"It powerfully reinforces the need for Mike Tomlinson's report to produce a solution to one of the besetting sins of the English education system and demonstrate that we can emulate other industrialised countries by devising a curriculum that actually meets the needs of the 21st century."

The deputy general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, Gwen Evans, spoke out on behalf of students.

She said the QCA report "ducks an issue that urgently needs facing".

"The report claims 'that students who choose to sit all of their AS examinations in one session are disadvantaged' but then declines to recommend that the examination timetable be adjusted to avoid this.

"The fact of the matter is that it is institutions not students who make the choice, even though it is students who suffer."