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It reviews proposed Post Qualification Admissions (PQA) models, including changes to application timing, Year 13 exam phases, and results handling. AQA supports post-qualification decisions with exam grades in hand, while warning that compressing AS/A-level marking and awarding may create risks across late results, quality, examiner experience, recruitment, curriculum breadth, and system resilience.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/pqa-and-the-exam-system-an-aqa-briefing-paper-april-2021/619524/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/pqa-and-the-exam-system-an-aqa-briefing-paper-april-2021/619524.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Noah","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-31","2026-10-20",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":24},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What concerns does the briefing highlight about the current UK university admissions system?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"It cites frustration with how the system operates and strong evidence that current arrangements can undermine social mobility for disadvantaged students.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What rationales for PQA does the Department for Education set out?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"It describes three broad rationales: inaccurate predicted grades, simplicity and transparency, and unconditional offers, with each addressing social mobility and observable admissions practices.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"Why does AQA caution against implementing PQA by compressing marking and awarding?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"The briefing argues that significantly shortening the AS and A-level marking and awarding window could introduce risks related to late results, marking quality, examiner experience and recruitment, curriculum breadth, and overall system resilience.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},619524,1792668897,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":24,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},8796095462418,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/80000253c1241d02b47?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1778826106357471780","PQA and the exam system  \nAn AQA briefing paper  \nApril 2021  \nCONTENTS  \nExecutive Summary page 2  \n1. Introduction page 3  \n2. PQA: Understanding the rationale and options page 4  \n3. What would PQA mean for marking and awarding? page 7  \n4. Conclusion page 12  \nCONTACT  \n[policy@aqa.org.uk](policy@aqa.org.uk)  \nEXECUTIVE SUMMARY  \n• There has long been frustration with the operation of the university admissions system in the UK. In particular, there is strong evidence that aspects of the current system undermine social mobility given outcomes for disadvantaged students.  \n• Different models of Post Qualification Admissions (PQA) to university have been proposed over the years involving changes to the timing of the student application process and key milestones, such as when Year 13 students sit their exams or receive their results.  \n• As an education charity and the largest provider of A-levels in England , AQA supports the principle that students should make decisions about university courses with as much information as possible, and fully supports reforms to enable post-qualification admissions so that students make can decisions about university with their exam grades in their hands.  \n• However, implementing PQA through significantly compressing the AS and A-level marking and awarding period may pose risks for students, centres and exam boards relating to late results, marking quality, examiner experience, examiner recruitment, breadth of curriculum and system resilience.  \n• It would be wrong to think these risks to the AS and A-level marking and awarding process could be addressed through increased use of technology. The vast majority of exam scripts are digitised within days of being posted by centres, and the rest of marking and awarding is a digital-first process.  \n• AQA believes that adopting PQA is likely to be more successful if the required changes and implementation risks are spread across different stages of the university admissions process. A ‘whole system’ view of post-qualification admissions is needed that takes account of Year 13 teaching, careers advice, summer exams, marking, awarding and the university timetable. If a small amount of time is released at every stage of the process, alot can be achieved.  \n• In particular, the DfE should consider:  \n• Changes to the AS and A-level exam timetable that may reduce the time available for student revision, but would allow students to receive university offers after they have received their grades  \n• Changes to university timetables so that all institutions begin first-year teaching in October as many already do, rather than September.  \n• AQA also believes that DfE should consider other interventions, such as improved and targeted information, advice and guidance for students, to encourage and support social mobility. The government has more levers available to it than just PQA to support student decision-making, and it is unlikely that simply adopting a PQA model of university admissions will fully address challenges relating to university participation and social mobility.  \n1. INTRODUCTION  \n1.1. Background  \nThe Department for Education (DfE) launched a consultation on Post Qualification Admissions (PQA) in January 20211 – the latest chapter in a long debate around reforming admissions to university in the UK.  \nAQA is an education charity and the largest provider of A-levels in England. We are committed to students realising their potential and doing the best they possibly can with the grades we award them. For this reason, AQA supports the principle that students should make decisions about university courses with as much information as possible in their hands, including their final exam grades.  \nDifferent models of PQA have been proposed over the years. Most involve moving A-level exams, A-level results day or the start of the university academic calendar.  \nGiven the costs and disruption this would involve, it is important that any reform of UK ","cbCaicrNTEJRiIqi","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaicrNTEJRiIqi","pdf",346233,13,"English","# Executive Summary\n# Introduction\n## Background\n# PQA: Understanding the rationale and options\n## The case for change\n# What would PQA mean for marking and awarding?\n# Conclusion","[{\"question\":\"What concerns does the briefing highlight about the current UK university admissions system?\",\"answer\":\"It cites frustration with how the system operates and strong evidence that current arrangements can undermine social mobility for disadvantaged students.\"},{\"question\":\"What rationales for PQA does the Department for Education set out?\",\"answer\":\"It describes three broad rationales: inaccurate predicted grades, simplicity and transparency, and unconditional offers, with each addressing social mobility and observable admissions practices.\"},{\"question\":\"Why does AQA caution against implementing PQA by compressing marking and awarding?\",\"answer\":\"The briefing argues that significantly shortening the AS and A-level marking and awarding window could introduce risks related to late results, marking quality, examiner experience and recruitment, curriculum breadth, and overall system resilience.\"}]","PQA and the exam system - An AQA briefing paper - April 2021 | PDF",1792463032,33]