ABSTRACT
The summer of 2001 saw the first in the new system of Advanced-level (A-level) examinations. These have been the culmination of developments in national examinations that followed the Dearing Review 1996, which recommended a broadening of the curriculum for 16-19-year-olds with the inclusion of vocational courses alongside the traditional A levels for those students who stayed on in schools and colleges at the end of Key Stage 4. Vocational courses, including BTec and RSA, had been on offer in many institutions. However, recognition of vocational qualifications for higher education was slow, and as a result two-year A-level courses still remained the goal for the majority of students. These offered the opportunity for entry to most higher-education courses.
