ALCAB has successfully completed its initial remit, in response to the request from Government to the Russell Group of universities to advise on the content of A levels in certain subjects. Following correspondence between the Chair of ALCAB (Professor Sir Nigel Thrift) and the Secretary of State for Education (Nicky Morgan MP), the Management Board of ALCAB have decided that ALCAB should close down in 2015. It will be registered as a “dormant” company, subject to review at the end of 2015.

See the letter from the ALCAB Chair to the Secretary of State here.

See the Secretary of State’s reply here.

ALCAB has today published its final advice on the A levels which it reviewed, following consultation by DfE and Ofqual on proposals which had reflected ALCAB’s earlier advice. ALCAB’s final advice on the content of A levels in ancient and modern languages, mathematics, further mathematics and geography was conveyed in a letter from the Chair of ALCAB, Professor Nigel Thrift, to the Secretary of State, Nicky Morgan MP.

ALCAB has also revised the lists which it had published in July 2014 of examples of themes, works and research topics in French, German and Spanish for the new modern languages A levels.

Read the press notice by ALCAB here.

Read the letter from the Chair of ALCAB here.

Read the revised indicative lists of themes, works and research topics for modern languages A levels here.

The Department for Education (DfE) has today published a report on its consultation on the proposed content of new A levels designed for first teaching in 2016, including the subjects reviewed by ALCAB. DfE has accepted the advice from ALCAB on the final content of the new A levels which ALCAB reviewed. Read the DfE report and the final content of the new A levels here.

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) has also published, in final form following consultations, its regulatory requirements for new A levels in a range of subjects, including those reviewed by ALCAB. Ofqual’s announcement can be read here.

Posted 2 December 2014

ALCAB advised DfE that the first teaching of the new A levels in mathematics and further mathematics should be delayed from 2016 to 2017. This would ensure that the first candidates for the new A levels would have progressed from the new GCSE in mathematics. ALCAB’s view was supported by Ofqual and by the A level exam boards.

The Minister of State for School Reform (Nick Gibb) has written accepting this. ALCAB has welcomed the news.

Read ALCAB’s press notice here.

29 September 2014 : ALCAB has written to Ofqual with a paper by the ALCAB Modern Foreign Languages Panel explaining the rationale for their proposal that the new A levels in modern foreign languages should include an essay in English. See ALCAB correspondence.

ALCAB has today published the reports of its panels on mathematics and further mathematics; modern foreign and classical languages; and geography. These reports were sent to the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, with a covering letter from the Chair of ALCAB, Professor Nigel Thrift.

Read the press notice by ALCAB here.

Read the covering letter from the Chair of ALCAB here.

Read the reports (full versions and executive summaries) here.

The Department for Education (DfE) has today published for consultation proposals for the content of a range of A levels due for first teaching in 2016, including the subjects reviewed by ALCAB. DfE’s consultation can be read here.

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) has also published for consultation their proposed requirements for assessment in the new A levels for first teaching in 2016, including the subjects reviewed by ALCAB. Ofqual’s consultation document can be read here.