Education leaders warn of ‘alarming decline’ in A-level English pupils
Education leaders warn of ‘alarming decline’ as number of pupils taking A-level English plunges by 13 per cent amid fears GCSE reforms have made the subject appear ‘too hard’
- Data from exam boards shows 58,870 pupils took English language or literature
- The figures are down 13 per cent – or 67,865 – compared to last years numbers
- The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) called for ‘urgent action’
- General secretary Geoff Barton fears students were put off harder GCSE English
Education leaders warned yesterday of an ‘alarming decline’ in the number of entries for English A-level.
Data from exam boards shows 58,870 students took English language or literature this year, down 13 per cent or 67,865 compared to 2018.
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) called for ‘urgent action’.
Data from exam boards shows 58,870 students took English language or literature this year, down 13 per cent or 67,865 compared to 2018 (stock)
General secretary Geoff Barton said he feared students were being put off by reforms to GCSE English which made it harder.
They were introduced in September 2015, making this summer’s A-level students the first to have completed the new-look two-year GCSE courses.
Mr Barton warned against ‘turning exams into a joyless slog’.
He said the new GCSE language exam is focused too heavily on analysis of historic texts while the literature course involves memorising too much content.
Meanwhile, entries in A-level maths, physics and chemistry increased by about a quarter from 2016-18.
General secretary Geoff Barton said he feared students were being put off by reforms to GCSE English which made it harder (stock)
The ASCL said there had been a ‘significant shift’ away from arts subjects towards maths and science over the last eight years, but said the decline in English is more recent.
Mr Barton said: ‘It is right that we should have the highest aspirations for all our students, but this should not equate to turning exams into a joyless slog.
‘We are concerned that the current GCSE specifications are failing to encourage a love of English in young people and this year’s entries at A-level appear to confirm our fears.
‘We must address this decline swiftly because A-level English is such an important subject, providing a path to many courses and careers, including the future English teachers we will need in our schools and colleges.
‘We urge the Department for Education, Ofqual and the exam boards to join with us in reviewing the current situation.’
A Department for Education spokesman said the department is ‘confident’ that changes to GCSEs in English are ‘better preparing pupils’ for A-levels.
‘It is positive to see an increase in the uptake of Stem (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects at A-level in recent years, reflecting the rise in demand for people with skills in these areas, whilst English remains one of the most popular subjects,’ he added.
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