Ancient history will disappear as an A-level [in the UK education system] if recommendations from an examination board are approved later this year.

The OCR board announced today it proposed to abolish the qualification as part of its plans to reorganise its four classics A-levels.

The exam board wants to replace its four existing classics subjects -- ancient history, classical civilisation, Greek and Latin -- with new models.

Ancient history will disappear as a subject in its own right. Instead students will choose from four new A-levels in Latin, classical Greek, classical civilisation and a new subject title, classics.