At the start of the school term in September last year, A Level exams underwent the biggest change for years.

Recently, it has been claimed that the new structure is littered with problems. Reporter Laura Burkin went back to Trinity Catholic High School, eight months after pupils started their studies, to see what they think of the new system.

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Last October I visited some sixth form students and director of sixth form Rob Healey to talk about the new experience that was AS Levels and A2 Levels.

Their reaction, after taking in the early stages of the curriculum, was one of optimism.

The group, Joseph Francescotti, Anthony McShea, James Fitzgerald, Lara Machnicki, Danielle John, Ann Prestidge, Mark Wilkins and Anna Branch, were all confident the system would work for them.

Among the positive issues was the incentive to work harder in the first year, as examinations would be taken after the first year of the course. Also that there would be a wider choice of subjects to take and the option of dropping one subject at the end of year one if it was felt it was no longer needed.

Eight months on, the students and Mr Healey have mixed feelings about the system, but say in no way has it been a failure.

Mr Healey said: "It's simply been a learning experience for everyone, from students and teachers to the examination boards. I'll think you will find that it's not all gone smoothly, but what new thing ever does?

"The pupils have been surprised by the amount of work that they have been set to do in the allocated time."

Ann said: "We found there was a lot of pressure on us and I don't think we realised the depth of it."

Joseph said: "It seems that once we've covered a particular area of the subject, there's no time to go back on it and make sure the understanding is there."

The group found that they had lessons and before they knew it examination time was here.

Lara said: "It seems as if we had finished all the lessons necessary, started to think about revision time and then all of a sudden we were taking the exams.

"We've had to make sure, above all, to structure ourselves a timetable, so the amount of revision we need to do is done and we feel we know enough as we go into the exams."

Students say their teachers, who were also experiencing the new system for the first time, did give them the best preparation possible.

James said: "Our teachers did help us a lot and this made things easier. But it was difficult for them too, as marking was different and there has been a lot of changes being made throughout."

And Danielle added: "We can't compare either because we never took A Levels in the old system.

"With exam practice, our teachers had no past papers or things like that for us to do, because there were none."

But the pupils say there were many positive aspects of the new system, that they they feel will benefit them in the long run.

Joseph said: "We have now got one year's exams out of the way, which is a relief going into the next stage.

"Also, we have the option of re-sitting exams."

Lara said: "It has certainly got us to work. What we have learnt is that revision needs to be started at the beginning and continued all the way through to the exams."

They also feel there was no need for the negative vibes that have recently been expressed in the national media about the new system.

Lara said: "There was all this stuff about how badly it was going and that this and that needed to be changed.

"It made us feel uneasy because it was just as we were taking our exams. We started to think, have we just taken a exam for nothing because it's all going to change now? It was very unnerving."

Mr Healey also has a positive outlook and said teachers would be studying and reviewing the whole system.

He said: "On the whole, I don't think it has been a disaster at all. With all new things, there is always the odd hiccup, but it's a learning curve and it will get sorted out in time.

"I think one of the areas being looked at is changing coursework hand-in times for some subjects, so that students have more time to spend on another subject where they may have an impending exam.

"At the end of the day, there are good and bad things. The good we can look to keep and improve and we can talk through the bad and find a better way. It's been a good experience so far and I'm sure we will go on learning."