Collection

New AS and A levels: requirements and guidance

Rules, regulations and guidance for the reformed AS and A levels

• From: Ofqual
• Published: 1 June 2014
• Last updated: 25 July 2017 — See all updates

This collection sets out rules, regulations and associated guidance for the new A level and standalone AS level qualifications that are being introduced in England.

You should also read the requirements for all awarding organisations and qualifications.

There are separate rules for existing A level and AS level qualifications.

All new A levels and AS qualifications

• GCE qualification-level conditions and requirements
  • 19 December 2023
  • Regulation
• GCE qualification-level guidance
  • 24 October 2023
  • Statutory guidance
• Specifications in relation to the reasonable adjustment of general qualifications
  • 19 September 2017
  • Regulation
• Accreditation requirement
  • 18 February 2019
  • Guidance
• Data exchange for AS, A level, GCSE and Project
  • 18 June 2025
  • Regulation

Accounting

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for accounting
  • 22 April 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for accounting
  • 22 April 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Ancient history

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for ancient history
  • 6 May 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for ancient history
  • 6 May 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Ancient languages

For teaching from September 2016 (classical Greek, Latin) and September 2018 (biblical Hebrew A level only). No qualifications have been or are currently being developed at AS level in biblical Hebrew.

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for ancient languages
  • 30 March 2017
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for ancient languages
  • 30 March 2017
  • Statutory guidance

Archaeology

No qualifications have been or are currently being developed in this subject

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for archaeology
  • 13 May 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for archaeology
  • 22 April 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Art and design

For teaching from September 2015

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for art and design
  • 9 April 2014
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for art and design
  • 23 May 2014
  • Statutory guidance

Business

For teaching from September 2015

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for business
  • 9 April 2014
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for business
  • 23 May 2014
  • Statutory guidance

Classical civilisation

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for classical civilisation
  • 6 May 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for classical civilisation
  • 6 May 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Computer science

For teaching from September 2015

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for computer science
  • 9 April 2014
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for computer science
  • 23 May 2014
  • Statutory guidance

Dance

For teaching from September 2016

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for dance
  • 29 January 2019
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for dance
  • 16 March 2015
  • Statutory guidance

Design and technology

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for design and technology
  • 1 March 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for design and technology
  • 1 March 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Drama and theatre

For teaching from September 2016

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for drama and theatre
  • 20 April 2017
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for drama and theatre
  • 24 July 2015
  • Statutory guidance

Economics

For teaching from September 2015

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for economics
  • 9 April 2014
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for economics
  • 23 May 2014
  • Statutory guidance

Electronics

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for electronics
  • 17 May 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for electronics
  • 21 April 2016
  • Statutory guidance

English language

For teaching from September 2015

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for English language
  • 9 April 2014
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for English language
  • 23 May 2014
  • Statutory guidance

English language and literature

For teaching from September 2015

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for English language and literature
  • 9 April 2014
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for English language and literature
  • 23 May 2014
  • Statutory guidance

English literature

For teaching from September 2015

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for English literature
  • 9 April 2014
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for English literature
  • 23 May 2014
  • Statutory guidance

Environmental science

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for environmental science
  • 1 March 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for environmental science
  • 1 March 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Film studies

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for film studies
  • 13 May 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for film studies
  • 13 May 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Geography

For teaching from September 2016

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for geography
  • 27 March 2015
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for geography
  • 27 March 2015
  • Statutory guidance

Geology

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for geology
  • 27 May 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for geology
  • 27 May 2016
  • Statutory guidance

History

For teaching from September 2015

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for history
  • 9 April 2014
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for history
  • 23 May 2014
  • Statutory guidance

History of art

For teaching from September 2017 (A level only). No qualifications have been or are currently being developed at AS level in this subject.

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for history of art
  • 15 March 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for history of art
  • 15 March 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Law

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for law
  • 13 May 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for law
  • 13 May 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Mathematics

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for mathematics
  • 8 April 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for mathematics
  • 8 April 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Further Mathematics

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for further mathematics
  • 8 April 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for further mathematics
  • 8 April 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Media studies

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for media studies
  • 13 May 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for media studies
  • 13 May 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Modern foreign languages

For teaching from September 2016 (French, German and Spanish) or September 2017 (other languages)

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for modern foreign languages
  • 6 March 2024
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for modern foreign languages
  • 18 April 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Modern foreign languages (listening, reading, writing)

For teaching from September 2018

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for modern foreign languages (listening, reading, writing)
  • 6 March 2024
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for modern foreign languages (listening, reading, writing)
  • 21 April 2017
  • Guidance

Music

For teaching from September 2016

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for music
  • 29 January 2019
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for music
  • 16 March 2015
  • Statutory guidance

Music technology

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for music technology
  • 15 March 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for music technology
  • 15 March 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Philosophy

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for philosophy
  • 15 March 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for philosophy
  • 15 March 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Physical education

For teaching from September 2016

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for physical education
  • 14 February 2020
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for physical education
  • 8 July 2015
  • Statutory guidance

Politics

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for politics
  • 27 May 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for politics
  • 27 May 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Psychology

For teaching from September 2015

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for psychology
  • 9 April 2014
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for psychology
  • 23 May 2014
  • Statutory guidance

Religious studies

For teaching from September 2016

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for religious studies
  • 31 July 2015
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for religious studies
  • 31 July 2015
  • Statutory guidance

Science (biology, chemistry and physics)

For teaching from September 2015

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for science
  • 27 May 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for science
  • 20 July 2015
  • Statutory guidance

Sociology

For teaching from September 2015

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for sociology
  • 10 April 2014
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for sociology
  • 23 May 2014
  • Statutory guidance

Statistics

For teaching from September 2017

• GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for statistics
  • 17 May 2016
  • Regulation
• GCE subject-level guidance for statistics
  • 17 May 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Published 1 June 2014

Last updated 25 July 2017 + show all updates

1. 25 July 2017

   Updated to include requirements for modern foreign languages (listening, reading, writing)

2. 24 June 2016

   Added data exchange requirements

3. 27 May 2016

   Added geology and politics

4. 17 May 2016

   Added statistics

5. 13 May 2016

   Added film studies, law and media studies

6. 6 May 2016

   Added ancient history and classical civilisation

7. 22 April 2016

   Added accounting and archaeology

8. 21 April 2016

   Added electronics

9. 8 April 2016

   Added mathematics and further mathematics

10. 15 March 2016

    Added history of art, music technology and philosophy.

11. 4 March 2016

    Added design & technology and environmental science.

12. 31 July 2015

    Added conditions and guidance for religious studies.

13. 24 July 2015

    Added conditions and guidance for drama and theatre

14. 20 July 2015

    Removed separate conditions and guidance for biology, chemistry and physics and added links to consolidated documents.

15. 8 July 2015

    Published conditions and guidance for AS and A level physical education

16. 7 July 2015

    Published new requirements and guidance for AS and A level modern foreign languages (French, German, Spanish)

17. 26 March 2015

    Published new requirements and guidance for ancient languages and geography

18. 18 March 2015

    Published conditions and guidance for dance and music

19. 1 June 2014

    First published.