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Cambridge to demand A* A levels from 2010
16 March 2009
University rejects call to ignore new grade in the short term. Rebecca Attwood reports
Students will need at least one A* A level to enter the University of Cambridge next year, the institution announced this week.
The higher grade will be introduced from 2010, but the National Council for Educational Excellence (NCEE) has recommended that universities ignore it for the first few years after its introduction because of concerns about its impact on widening participation.
However, Cambridge said it had chosen to make use of the A* at the first available opportunity because it was turning away record numbers of students predicted to gain three A-grade A levels, and hoped that using the new grade would help it to choose between candidates.
A spokeswoman for the university said: “In view of the desire for both clarity and standardisation of offer levels wherever possible, it has been decided to make use of the opportunity the A* grade presents, and to revise the standard offer in most subjects from AAA to A*AA for entry in 2010.”
In October, the NCEE warned that there was “no evidence” that A* attainment could be accurately predicted by teachers at this stage.
It said: “Government should collect and review data on predictability over the first few years of A* being awarded before it enters use in the [higher education] application process.”
Cambridge promised to keep a close eye on the change to its admissions policy.
Geoff Parks, director of admissions for the Cambridge colleges, explained that they would still be able to make “non-standard” offers where appropriate, and encouraged eligible students to apply through the Cambridge Special Access Scheme.
“The scheme allows circumstances that might impair a student’s examination performance to be taken into account – including, for instance, where an applicant’s school or college has limited success in sending students on to higher education, where the applicant’s family has little or no experience of HE, or, indeed, where [their] education has been significantly disrupted or disadvantaged by health, schooling or personal problems.”
rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com
Readers' comments
Some comments on this from John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders: "We are disappointed that Cambridge has gone down this route. ... with access to module grades and the new extended project, universities should have enough information, and information which is more precise than the A* grade, that allows them to discriminate between the best candidates." What in god's name could possibly be more precise than achieving the highest possible grade? This is utter nonsense from Dunford. It gets worse: "The inevitable consequence is that it will devalue A and B grades and increase stress and anxiety among bright 17 and 18 year-olds." The idea that stress can be eradicated from an exam system is ludicrous. The important thing is to make sure it is at reasonable levels, while maintaining a competitive environment, where the best students can realise their potential and all students can find where their talents lie. In terms of devaluing As and Bs, it's too late. A devaluation is precisely the reason for introducing the A*. Of course, the most sensible thing to do is reintroduce some rigour into the syllabi and assessment process so that those who achieve an A are truly worthy of it. Pigs will fly over Bournemouth before that happens.
re: GCE A* grade for university entrance. An answer to entrance requirements is to create university and direct employment-entrance courses and examinations in place of current A-levels - although for continuity and recognition they could still be called A-levels - and differentiated through grades and percentages, readily understood by universities and employers alike. They would be general-education based in the first (current AS) year, with specialisation in the second year, with government funding as needed and identified by a newly formed inspectorate for schools and universities, to include employers. They would be set and marked by a 'universities and employment qualifications board' appointed by the DFEE (essentally a centralisation of current examination groups), with qualified appointed examiners and an appeals system. The new A-level courses would be administered and taught by schools. Their may follow implications for GCSEs. The qualifications board would also assess and grade courses offered by universities. We would soon see where the best courses really are - with consequent revisions in the relative positions of universities, and universities themselves would have to be on their mettle to maintain or improve their reputations or development. Government funding would principally follow the new A-level and university courses based on need and achievement (research would attract different sources of funding but be subject to similar scrutiny/due dilligence by the same board, including private donations). Perhaps then we might see a greater democratisation of UK universities, recognition of excellence wherever it is for all to see, and better education standards in both schools and universities. And, not to mention democratic accountability, with the best interests of young people at its heart allied to the educational needs of the country. David Poyser MPhil RCA
Oxbridge wants to maintain its position as the elite. Which is fair enough as there has to be an elite. So they are obviously going to want the best students. The A* criteria is just ensuring they get the top percentile of students. Fair enough. There are plenty of other universities for the other students.
No, there is an elite because there CAN be, not because there has to be one. Other than that, everything you say is sound.
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