Advanced Extension Awards (AEAs)

 

Advanced Extension Awards (AEAs)

Summary	They were introduced in 2002, in response to the British Government's Excellence in Cities report, as a means of testing students at the most demanding standards found across the world. They aim to challenge the most able A level students and to provide opportunities for students to show a greater depth of understanding than required at A level. The AEA should: challenge the top 10 percent of students nationally in each subject ensure that the most able students are tested against standards comparable with the most demanding to be found in other countries be accessible to all able students, whatever specification they study help differentiate between the most able candidates, particularly in subjects with a high proportion of A grades at advanced GCE test candidates' depth of understanding and their ability to think critically and creatively test candidates' ability to demonstrate an understanding of the connections between different elements of the subject.
Tariff entry	The qualification was first considered for UCAS Tariff points in 2004. Points came into effect for entry to higher education from 2006 onwards. Expert Group report (PDF)
Learning hours	AEAs require no additional teaching content
UCAS Tariff points	Distinction	40
	Merit	20
	(Points for Advanced Extension Awards are over and above those gained from the A level)
Qualification sector	Biology and Biology (Human), Business, Chemistry, Critical Thinking, Economics, English, French, Geography, German, History, Irish, Latin, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Spanish, Welsh, Welsh Second Language
Awarding organisation	AQA, CCEA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC
Further information	Visit the Register of Regulated Qualifications website