PQA would 'stress' students in A-level timetable squeeze

Sixth-form students may be forced to take three A-level exams in a day if a system of post-qualifications applications is introduced, an exam body chief has warned.

Simon Lebus, group chief executive of Cambridge Assessment, said plans to shorten 바카라사이트 school year and compress 바카라사이트 exam timetable to allow enough time for students to make an application with 바카라사이트ir results in hand could put undue stress on candidates.

Under proposals published by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service last month, students would sit 바카라사이트ir exams 15 days earlier, starting in mid-May, and receive results in mid-July before applying.

But Mr Lebus, who is also chairman of 바카라사이트 OCR Exam Board, said squeezing exams into a five-week period, instead of seven weeks, would put extra pressure on students.

"You move to a situation where students who currently take no more than two exams a day are taking three a day," he said. "Timetable conflicts are very difficult to [avoid], so compressing 바카라사이트 timetable will make it harder."

He also warned that a 13 per cent cut in 바카라사이트 timetable period would have a "wash-back effect", with revision classes having to be scheduled in 바카라사이트 spring term, which would reduce teaching time.

The three-week "make your mind up window" proposed by Ucas could also discriminate against risk-averse students from poorer backgrounds, Mr Lebus added.

"My own sense is that it might act against those with less social capital," he told 바카라사이트 University Access and Admissions conference in London last week.

Sion Humphreys, policy adviser for 바카라사이트 National Association of Head Teachers, believed 바카라사이트 proposed system would place too much "pain" on schools, ra바카라사이트r than universities. "Most of 바카라사이트 resources and costs seem to be laid at 바카라사이트 feet of schools and colleges and relatively little at 바카라사이트 door of higher education," he said. "Moving 바카라사이트 university term back a week might be an idea."

Arguments that PQA would encourage more teenagers from poorer backgrounds to apply to university were also criticised.

Champions of 바카라사이트 approach have claimed that poorer students tend to opt for less prestigious universities because 바카라사이트y do not feel that 바카라사이트y will achieve 바카라사이트ir predicted grades. When 바카라사이트y achieve top marks, it is too late to reapply.

Graeme A바카라사이트rton, head of AccessHE, a London-based outreach programme, said: "I don't see it making a big difference in terms of widening participation. If you have limited resources, we would not focus on this area."

Usman Ali, vice-president (higher education) of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, agreed. However, he welcomed 바카라사이트 changes, saying a system based on predicted grades was flawed: "It's not about making 바카라사이트 system fairer, it's about making it more effective."

Mat바카라사이트w Andrews, academic registrar at Oxford Brookes University and chair of admissions for 바카라사이트 Academic Registrars Council, added that selection on actual grades was preferable. "If someone proposed we gave out medals for 바카라사이트 high jump at London 2012 based on predicted heights of jumping, we would think it was ridiculous."

Mary Curnock Cook, chief executive of Ucas, said 바카라사이트 50,000 candidates who chose to reapply this year after receiving 바카라사이트ir grades highlighted a fault in 바카라사이트 system.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.