Young people studying ‘narrower range’ of A-level subjects than two decades ago

Young people in England are studying a “narrower range” of subjects in post-16 education than two decades ago, a report has suggested.

Students are increasingly choosing all of their A-levels from a single subject group, according to the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).

The findings have been published as students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to receive their A-level results on Thursday.

The decoupling of AS and A-levels in England – where reformed AS levels no longer count towards a full A-level – has “likely played a key role” in reducing subject diversity, the study by the NFER said.

Students’ post-16 education choices matter. They affect both their short-term learning outcomes, such as the skills they develop, and their long-term outcomes, including wellbeing

The NFER report – commissioned by the British Academy – showed a sharp reduction in the range of subjects chosen since 2015/16 when the process of separating AS and A-level qualifications began.

The change has affected the take-up of humanities and arts subjects in post-16 education which the paper said risks “having profound impacts on the future shape of these disciplines”.

The research showed that while 56% of AS or A-level students studied a humanities subject in 2015/16, only 38% studied one in 2021/22.

Nearly a fifth (19%) of AS or A-level students took English literature in 2015/16, declining to 11% in 2021/22.

The proportion of students taking history dropped from 21% to 15%.

The report revealed that more students are choosing to exclusively study AS and A-levels in the same subject group – such as all science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) subjects, or all social science subjects.

The proportion of students taking AS or A-levels from a single subject group increased from 21% to 35% between 2015/16 and 2021/22.

The subject choices available to students have also narrowed over the past two decades, according to the report.

The proportion of providers offering French AS or A-level has fallen from 78% in 2009/10 to 54% in 2021/22.

The Curriculum and Assessment review will bring together leading education experts, leaders and staff, to transform the outdated curriculum and assessment system

Michael Scott, NFER senior economist and lead author of the report, said: “Students’ post-16 education choices matter. They affect both their short-term learning outcomes, such as the skills they develop, and their long-term outcomes, including wellbeing.

“Young people are studying a narrower range of subjects, which is probably due, at least in part, to reforms introduced over the last two decades.

“It is critical that future reforms to the post-16 landscape carefully consider possible impacts on the nature and the range of subjects that students choose.”

Molly Morgan Jones, director of policy at the British Academy, warned that a failure to address a decline in humanities and arts subjects would have “knock-on effects” for the subjects in universities and “on the skills young people take out into the workforce and the wider world”.

She said: “Higher education and research are under strain, and the humanities and arts are bearing the brunt of many departmental closures.

“Breadth and balance should be at the heart of any future post-16 curriculum and should not be negatively impacted by any future reforms.

“The school curriculum should be interconnected and equitable, allowing and encouraging all students from all backgrounds to study a range of disciplines. Our students’ skills, and our societal growth, depend on it.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “High and rising standards are at the heart of the Government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.

“The curriculum and assessment review will bring together leading education experts, leaders and staff to transform the outdated curriculum and assessment system.

“The renewed curriculum will ensure young people get the opportunity to access a broad and balanced curriculum, as well as crucial work and life skills, providing the foundation to succeed in both the workplace and throughout their lives.”