The English Advanced Extension Award: the twin crossroads

English is the most popular and successful of the subjects currently offered at Advanced Extension Award, a UK examination for the ablest 18‐year‐olds. Government plans for post‐16 reform suggest that AEAs may not continue as a separate examination for much longer. This paper discusses the reasons for the popularity of AEA English, and two key issues for the future which its success raises: the way forward for curriculum reform of English subjects post‐16, and whether AEA, or AEA‐style assessment, can satisfy the demand of elite universities for a means of identifying top students.