Consultation outcome

AS and A level reform: regulations for environmental science

• From: Ofqual
• Published: 17 December 2015
• Last updated: 1 March 2016 — See all updates

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Analysis of Responses to our Consultation on Conditions and Guidance for AS and A level Environmental Science

Ref: Ofqual/16/5851

PDF, 414 KB, 11 pages

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Detail of outcome

We received two responses to the consultation - one which made general comments about the overall reform of GCSEs, AS and A levels, and one which supported all our proposals.

As a result, we have decided to confirm all our proposed rules and guidance for new AS and A levels in environmental science.

We have now published our:

• GCE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Environmental Science
• GCE Subject Level Guidance for Environmental Science

Our new rules will require new AS and A levels in environmental science to:

• comply with the Department for Education’s subject content for AS and A level environmental science, and with our assessment objectives
• allocate 10% of total marks assessing mathematical skills and 15% of total marks to indirect assessment of practical work

They also require exam boards to collect statements from schools which confirm that they have taken reasonable steps to ensure students have completed the practical work required by the subject content.

Our guidance explains how awarding organisations should interpret our assessment objectives.

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Original consultation

Summary

A consultation on rules and guidance for new AS and A levels in environmental science.

This consultation ran from
5pm on 17 December 2015 to 11:45pm on 20 January 2016

Consultation description

This consultation is about the rules and guidance we plan to put in place for new AS and A levels in environmental science. These rules will apply to the new environmental science AS and A levels that will be taught in schools in England from September 2017.

This consultation takes forward decisions made following our earlier consultation ‘Development of new GCSEs and A levels for teaching from 2017’, and is part of Ofqual’s work supporting the government’s changes to GCSEs, AS and A levels.

Documents

AS and A Level Environmental Science - Consultation on Conditions and guidance

Ref: Ofqual/15/5814

PDF, 582 KB, 40 pages

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Published 17 December 2015
Last updated 1 March 2016 + show all updates

1. 1 March 2016

   Published consultation outcome

2. 17 December 2015

   First published.