Normally, two or three units are assessed at the end of the first year, and make up a stand-alone Advanced Subsidiary (AS Level) qualification.
Four organisations set and mark exam papers in England and Wales: Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA), Edexcel, Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) and the Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC).
Many students were exempt from taking these courses as they had the relevant GCSEs, leaving some classes empty.
General apathy towards the courses from UCAS and most universities meant that Key Skills was dropped from some LEAs requirements by the end of 2003.
Michael Gove, who implemented the A level changes which succeeded Curriculum 2000 has described the modular system as an exam 'treadmill' due to the frequency of examinations.