University admissions shake-up announced
Pupils could apply for university with their actual results under new proposals announced by the higher education minister today.
Bill Rammell has launched a consultation document on proposals designed to make the university admissions process fairer, which could come into effect by 2008.
Universities currently depend on students’ predicted grades when deciding whether to offer them a place, but only 45 per cent of these predictions are accurate.
The problem is particularly bad among poorer students, with schools accurately predicting the grades of just 39 per cent of these pupils, compared to 51 per cent of pupils in the highest social class.
“The existing system has many good features but it could be fairer and the existing system is least fair to the poorest students. That has to change,” Mr Rammell said.
There are two strands to the proposed post-qualification application system (PQA): either no formal applications would be made until exam results were known, or some places would be offered before results, and others reserved until afterwards.
“I want every student to have the chance to fulfil their potential and get a higher education place based on their actual ability rather than on predictions which can let them down,” Mr Rammell continued.
The proposals, which follow an investigation by director general of the higher education directorate Alan Wilson, were welcomed by the Secondary Heads Association (SHA).
“For too long, the judgments of university admissions tutors have been based on predicted grades, made by teachers far in advance of the students sitting the A-level examinations,” said general secretary John Dunford.
“The students have had to make their course choices far too early. The PQA system avoids these problems and brings a greater degree of fairness to the applications process.”
He added that the new system could help students from families with no background in higher education to aim high when they have achieved good A-level grades.
Liberal Democrat education spokesman Edward Davey also welcomed the proposals, saying basing admissions on predicted grades was “inefficient and unreliable”.
“Allowing students to apply to universities with their actual grades is fairer and will permit young people who might not have considered university to apply with confidence,” he said.
