What is an Advanced Extension Award (AEA)?

First examined in June 2002, the Advanced Extension Award (AEA) was introduced for 18-year-olds as part of the government’s response to the report Excellence in Cities. AEAs take the place of Special Papers.

The AEA should:

• challenge the top 10 per cent of candidates nationally in each subject
• ensure that the most able candidates are tested against standards comparable with the most demanding to be found in other countries
• be accessible to all able candidates, whatever the specification they are studying
• help differentiate between the most able candidates, particularly in subjects with a high proportion of A grades at advanced GCE.

AEA qualifications:

• are included in the UCAS tariff – 40 points for distinction and 20 for a merit
• are based on advanced GCE subject criteria where they exist, rather than individual specifications
• test candidates’ depth of understanding and their ability to think critically and creatively
• test candidates’ ability to demonstrate an understanding of the connection between different elements of the subject
• require no additional teaching content
• will have an external assessment of 100 per cent.