Friday 5 October 2018

i letter on Pre-U exams

Sperlinger, McLellan and Pettigrew are right to say that a "more radical rethink of the form and structure of the higher education system" is essential, but more thought is needed to increase fairness when achievement is considered for admission (Scrap degrees, forget graduation! Study for free! 04/10/18). Making "higher demands" for applications from those attending private schools is fine as long as the same means of gaining the necessary examination grades is used.
   At present far too many private schools are abandoning A-levels in favour of Pre-U exams, which are nearly all set and marked by teachers in the independent sector, have higher percentages of A*-A grades, are run by Cambridge Assessment, itself a department of the university, and are not subject to the same strict regulations as A-levels.
Reform universities by all means, but ending the cosy relationship between our so-called "top" universities and the private education sector must be a priority.

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