Students should be aware that the ‘A’ level system in the UK was changed in 2000. As a result, all the awarding bodies introduced new Advanced Subsidiary (AS) as well as revised Advanced (‘A’) level syllabuses and examinations across the full subject range.

Advanced Subsidiary (AS) courses may be used in one of two ways:

• as a final qualification, allowing candidates to broaden their studies and to defer questions about specialism;
• as the first half (50%) of an Advanced Level qualification, which must be completed before an Advanced Level award can be made.

Advanced Subsidiary is designed to provide an appropriate assessment of knowledge, understanding and skills expected of candidates who have completed the first half of a full Advanced Level Qualification.

You can also use your AS level qualification to accumulate UCAS points towards an application for university entrance.

The Advanced Level examination is in two parts:

• Advanced Subsidiary (AS) - 50% of the total award;
• a second examination, called A2 - 50% of the total award.

Most Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced level courses are modular. The AS level normally comprises three teaching and learning modules and the A2 comprises a further three teaching and learning modules. These modules generally match the Units of Assessment (or Exam Papers).

The new style ‘A’ levels allow for more flexibility in the taking of exams:

• assessment units may be taken at stages throughout the course, at the end of each year or at the end of the total course;
• AS may be completed at the end of one year and A2 by the end of the second year;
• AS and A2 may be completed at the end of the same year.