Which do you get first, an A level or an O level? What is a GCSE? I'm not sure I gave the most coherent response, so I am explaining it here.
When I started at secondary school in 1985 the situation looked like this:
Students would either study towards O levels (Ordinary Levels) or the CSE (Certificate of Education). The O level was an exam based qualification, whereas the CSE was more technical/vocational, and was generally viewed as a soft option. At the Age of 16, O level students would either join the workforce, or continue their education by taking three subjects at A level (advanced level). Assuming your A level results were satisfactory, and the student had the inclination, they would then go on to take a bachelors degree aged 18.
The Situation in 1990
When I completed secondary school and started flipping burgers the O level and CSE had been retired and the GCSE (General Certificate of Education) had been introduced. The aim of the GCSE was to be a one-size-fits-all qualification, with the A-C grades being equivalent to the O' level and the D-G grades being equivalent to a CSE. Classes were often grouped by ability and different exam papers were used for different academic groups, to ensure the grades represented 'positive achievement' rather than 'degrees of failure'.
The GCSE differed from the O' level because it examined coursework and exam results. Teachers were unhappy about the additional workload this introduced, and this caused a lot of teachers strikes at the time. A compromise was eventually agreed and the first GCSE exams were taken in 1988.
Another major change was the introduction of the AS level (Advanced Supplementary). The problem with the A' level was that it required students to specialise to just three subjects between ages 16-18. To allow greater flexibility, the AS level was introduced in 1989. The AS level was equivalent to half an A' level, and took one year to complete. These did not take over from A' levels, they were an additional qualification. Students would take 2-3 A levels alongside 1-2 AS levels.
The year 2000
In the year 2000, the A'level and AS level qualifications were overhauled. The courses were designed to be modular and the A level was split into two parts, the AS and the A2.
The AS (now standing for Advanced Subsidiary)is a standalone qualification and is still valued at half an A level. It consists of three modules and is assessed halfway through the A level course (age 17). The A2 is the second part of the A level qualification and is made up of a further 3 modules.
The new A levels are approx 70% exam, 30% coursework, with the A2 containing more demanding material than that covered in the AS level.
The Future
What next? Every year GCSE and A level results improve, with more and more people getting top grades. This leads to debates in the media about whether exams are being "dumbed down", and whether the qualification system should be completely overhauled and a new diploma system introduced.
Incidentally my secondary school was recently advertising for a new head teacher at an unprecedented salary of £100k. As this Evening Standard article reveals the school is going through a bit of a rough patch, with only 28% of students achieving A-C grades in their GCSE's - half the national average of 53%. *sigh* it all went downhill after I left...
