ABSTRACT
A UCAS survey in 2001 shows that the academic divide is being blurred, as 86 per cent of sixth form colleges and 56 per cent of all schools and colleges are combining GCEs and VCEs. Students are broadening their programme and the volume of their study with 66 per cent of students taking four AS subjects in Year 12 (excluding general studies) and 13 per cent adding a new AS subject in Year 13; and 42 per cent of students are resitting at least one GCE unit in Year 13 so almost half of the cohort are working to improve their grades at AS before entering the examination room for their A2 subjects. Add to this the 13 per cent of Year 13 students who claim that they are studying a different A2 subject to that originally planned and it would appear that Curriculum 2000 is indeed offering the breadth and flexibility hoped for in its design.
