Advanced British Standard

Over the next decade, The Department for Education (DfE) are seeking to introduce the Advanced British Standard (ABS), a new Baccalaureate-style qualification framework for 16 to 19 year-olds.

The ABS will:

• Bring together technical and academic routes into a single framework, taking the best of A levels and T Levels
• Increase the number of taught hours for all students
• Require students to study maths and English to the age of 18
• Offer greater breadth, increasing the average number of subjects students take post 16, with students able to choose a combination of bigger and smaller subjects, called ‘majors’ and ‘minors’
• Have a clear offer for all students.

The consultation document contains policy proposals to support the aims outlined above.

This consultation closes on 20 March 2024.