In the UK, the average grades achieved by A-level candidates have been steadily rising for over 20 years in a row.[8] The government and teaching bodies maintain that the improved grades represent higher levels of achievement due to improved and more experienced teaching methods,[19][20] but many educationalists and elements of the popular press argue that the change is due to grade inflation and the examinations getting easier.[21] A third view is that, as schools come under increasing pressure to improve their examination results, pupils are being coached to pass specific examinations, at the expense of a general understanding of their subjects.[22] Still another view is that, as the cost to an examination board of changing a subject’s syllabus is very high, they are reluctant to do so, leading to a lengthy period over which exam questions will inevitably be very similar and so teaching towards their likely content will be more successful.[citation needed] Yet another view is that, because of the new changes introduced in Curriculum 2000, where students are examined in both years of sixth form, less academically able students drop subjects they find difficult resulting in better candidate self-selection and enabling students achieving less than desired grades to retake specific units.[22] The ability of unlimited resits, with the best mark going through, has improved results.[23] According to some, students selecting “easier” instead of “harder” ones have also contributed to this rise.[24][25][26]</p>
<p>Universities in Britain have constantly complained that the increasing number of A grades awarded makes it hard to distinguish between students at the upper end of the ability spectrum.[27] The C grade was originally intended to represent the average ability, and students typically required 60% or higher across all assessments to attain it; however, the average result is now at the lower end of the B grade, rendering this measure almost meaningless. Thus, many universities now have their own entrance tests or interviews to distinguish between applicants. In 2005, the head of admissions at the University of Cambridge outlined changes[28] he believed should be made to the current system, particularly the use of the Advanced Extension Awards, a top-up qualification that tests the most-able students some of the harder content in their A-level courses. More universities have wanted to see applicants’ individual module results to see how comfortably they have achieved their result.[29] There are fears that the A-level may not offer an accurate test of ability,[30] nor will it be a good prediction of future academic success.[31]</p>
<p>Concern over A-Level grading became national news in September 2002. The Observer newspaper ran a story making claims that A-Level results had been fixed. It was alleged that students had been given lower marks than they deserved in order to fix overall results, making the pass rate seem lower than it really should have been and so disproving that A-Levels were becoming too easy. This resulted in the Tomlinson Inquiry. As a result, some papers were re-marked but only 1,220 A-Level and 733 AS-Level students saw an improvement to their results.[32]</p>
<p>In response to concerns shown by employers and universities that it is not possible to distinguish between the large number of students achieving A grades, and in order to mirror the current GCSE standards, a debate arose in 2004 as to whether a new, higher “super A” grade (like the A* grade at GCSE) should be attainable.[33] Although it has not yet been put into place, it was generally agreed that bringing in higher grades would be a much better idea than raising the grade boundaries to keep the standards consistent, and it has been proposed that A* and A** grades be attainable at A-level in order to stretch the most able students while still allowing others to achieve the grades they deserve. The Advanced Extension Award has been increasingly used to serve this purpose.[34]</p>
<p>The September 2004 reformation of the Mathematics syllabus, following calls it was too hard,[35] has attracted criticism for allegedly being made easier.[36] In the change, content consisting of three modules (Pure 1-3) were spread to four modules (Core 1-4). It is alleged that this makes the course easier as students do the same amount of work for more qualifications. Further reforms to make the Mathematics syllabus more popular have been met with mixed opinions.[37] Supporters cite it will reverse the downward trend in students taking the subject whilst others are concerned that the subject is being “dumbed down”.</p>
<p>Following criticisms from many groups, from September 2008 onwards, candidates will take 4 papers for most A-levels, instead of the current six.[38]</p>
<p>A possible reformation would be something called the post-qualifications applications system (PQA), where applicants apply to university after they receive their results.[39] It is said that this will be fairer to applicants, especially those from lower-income families who tend to be underpredicted. 55% of predictions are over-estimates and 9% are under-estimates. Education ministers have said that it will be implemented by 2012.</p>
<p>Harrow has warned that it will ditch A-levels if they are dumbed down further.[citation needed] They are considering moving to a new exam (to be called Pre-U) being developed by private schools in conjunction with Cambridge University’s exam board.</p>
<p>As a result of dislike of the modular system, many schools now offer the alternative “International Baccalaureate” qualification. The course offers more subjects, extra-curricular activity, a philosophical epistemological component known as “Theory of Knowledge”, as well as the requirement of an extended essay on any subject of a candidate’s choice. Unlike the current AS/A2 system, the International Baccalaureate is not based on a modular system.</p>
<p>Prime Minister Tony Blair recently suggested that one state school in every county should offer the Baccalaureate as an alternative to A-Levels.