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A recent public consultation revealed that there is minimal backing for the Department of Education’s (DE) proposal to eliminate AS-Levels from Northern Ireland’s A-Level system. The consultation, which drew input from thousands of students, teachers, and parents, highlighted a strong preference to maintain the current structure. Following the extensive feedback, the DE has stated it will carefully reconsider the proposal before reaching a final decision. Additionally, plans to change the GCSE grading system to align with England’s numerical 9-1 scale have been dropped.
Currently, AS-Levels represent 40% of the overall A-Level grade, with students taking exams halfway through their two-year course. The department’s initial suggestion would have shifted A-Levels to a fully linear model, with all exams held at the end of the two years, removing the intermediate AS-level assessments in Year 13. The aim was to reduce the frequency of high-stakes exams, which the department described as a concern due to the disruption caused to teaching and learning time. Other proposals included cutting down the number of topics covered at both GCSE and A-Level, limiting the number of exams per subject to two, and introducing a new A-Level in Gaeilge for students attending Irish-medium schools.
Among those sharing their views was Ailbhe, a sixth form student studying French, Irish, History, and who also took an AS-Level in English Literature. Reflecting on her experience, she said that AS-Levels had provided a “good base” for her A-Levels and helped spread learning over two years, reducing pressure. Ailbhe explained that the modular format allowed her to concentrate on fewer topics at once, which made studying less confusing and eased the exam burden. Another student, Jude, who is also in his final year at Shimna Integrated College, expressed support for keeping AS-Levels, arguing that modular exams help relieve pressure by breaking assessments into smaller parts rather than facing everything at the end of two years.
The consultation responses largely opposed scrapping AS-Levels, with nearly two-thirds of participants rejecting the notion of converting A-Levels into a purely linear course. The department acknowledged the complexity of opinions on the issue and announced that it would give the matter further consideration. There was also significant resistance to changing GCSEs to linear courses with end-of-course exams only. Due to this feedback, the department decided against adopting the 9-1 grading system used in England, describing the idea as “broadly unpopular” and not fundamentally beneficial in improving educational standards or reducing workload.
However, certain proposals did receive positive support. Most respondents agreed with the idea of limiting most GCSE and A-Level subjects to two exams, aiming to lighten the overall assessment load. In a statement, Education Minister Givan emphasized the importance of maintaining CCEA qualifications that are “high quality and fit for purpose.” He noted that while there is strong backing for retaining traditional GCSEs and A-Levels, there is also recognition of the need to streamline both content and assessment methods to improve teaching, learning, and reduce pressure on students and educators. Givan underlined the importance of ensuring qualifications remain in step with changes in technology and continue to provide viable progression pathways for students
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