AS-Levels to be Scrapped, New A-Level Options Introduced in Northern Ireland
AS-Levels will be discontinued in Northern Ireland as part of a comprehensive review of GCSE, AS, and A-Level qualifications. However, modifications to A-Levels will allow students the option to take exams in year 13.
The review introduces a new two-year modular A-Level structure, consisting of three distinct topics or exam sets. Most GCSE subjects will be assessed at the end of the two-year course, with a maximum of two exam papers in most cases.
These changes to GCSEs, AS, and A-Levels will be fully implemented starting September 2029. All adjustments pertain to qualifications administered by the Northern Ireland exams board, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA).
Education Minister Paul Givan stated that the reforms aim to reduce the number of exams and provide students with more time to explore, understand, and enjoy their learning experience.
Students in Northern Ireland will still have the option to take qualifications set by English and Welsh exam boards, including AS-Levels. Notably, in England, AS-Level results have not contributed to A-Level grades since 2017.
Main Changes to GCSE, AS, and A-Levels in Northern Ireland
The new A-Level will be modular over two years, comprising three separate topics or exams. Students can choose to take all exams at the end of year 14 or take one of the three exam sets at the end of year 13.
The exam taken at the end of year 13 will account for 30% of the final A-Level grade, while exams at the end of year 14 will constitute the remaining 70%. Once this new A-Level format is introduced for teaching in 2029, CCEA will cease offering a separate AS-Level qualification.
Minister Givan altered the original proposal, which required students to take all A-Level exams at the end of their two-year course to determine their grade. This change followed a public consultation where there was minimal support for fully linear A-Levels with all exams at the end of year 14.
Most GCSEs will remain linear, with two exams at the end of the course determining the pupil’s grade. Exceptions include English Language, Mathematics, and Single and Double Award Science GCSEs, where some exams will be taken during the course.
Givan has decided to retain the A*–G grading system at GCSE in Northern Ireland, diverging from England’s 9-1 grading scale. This decision aligns with the choice made by former Education Minister John O'Dowd of Sinn Féin in 2015.
In certain GCSE subjects, the number of topics will be reduced to allow for deeper learning. Coursework requirements will be minimized at both GCSE and A-Level, reserved only for essential elements such as practical experiments in Science.
Rationale Behind the Changes
Minister Givan has previously expressed concerns that young people in Northern Ireland are "over-tested." The reforms to GCSE, AS, and A-Level qualifications form part of a broader education reform initiative called TransformED, which includes reviews of the curriculum, assessment, and qualifications.
A recent review of the school curriculum, which determines what is taught in Northern Ireland’s schools, was completed. Givan emphasized the desire for the curriculum to focus "into the detail of things, rather than a very wide range of issues that need to be covered in a short space of time."
The qualification review is closely linked to the curriculum review.
In a statement, Givan said the reforms aim to reduce stress on students, improve education quality, and ensure qualifications remain relevant and effective.
"Northern Ireland pupils currently take far more exams than their peers in England to achieve the same qualifications due to the AS structure,"
"These reforms address this unfairness and practices like using AS results to gatekeep Year 14 entry.
They place learning, not testing, at the heart of education.
Reducing controlled assessment and coursework will also help address workload burdens, equity issues, and the impact of AI on take-home tasks,"
Additionally, a review of the Religious Education (RE) syllabus is underway and is expected to conclude by the summer.
