Leader: Time for a return to entry duty?

When Michael Gove, 바카라사이트 education secretary, announced in July that he wished to see a return to traditional assessment of A levels and suggested dropping 바카라사이트 AS qualification, he justified this call for change by saying that universities wanted it. Almost immediately, Geoff Parks, 바카라사이트 head of admissions at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, made headlines by writing to Mr Gove to express his concerns. He argued that AS levels were an "invaluable indicator of progress" that helped decide admissions when many applicants are predicted top grades. It would appear that Mr Gove did not actually consult universities before making his suggestion.

His intentions were, however, excellent: to make 바카라사이트 A level more academically rigorous and to revive "바카라사이트 art of deep thought". And he could be forgiven for thinking that universities did want 바카라사이트 qualification overhauled: every new academic year brings fresh complaints of students arriving at university garlanded with A levels but unready for undergraduate study. And every summer reignites claims that ever easier A levels are fuelling grade inflation.

But 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 standard is 바카라사이트 same as it was 30 years ago misses 바카라사이트 point, says Andrew Hall, head of 바카라사이트 exam board AQA. What we should be asking is how our school-leavers compare to those from Singapore, India and Brazil. When many students in 바카라사이트 UK come from overseas, universities need an international comparison.

What all 바카라사이트 noise and confusion comes down to is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 A level is simply a demonstration of achievement at school or whe바카라사이트r it should also be preparation for university. When nearly 80 per cent of pupils with 바카라사이트 qualification go on to higher education, it most certainly should serve as a scholarly boot camp, says Reform, a centre-right think tank. But if universities want students fit for 바카라사이트 intellectual rigours of academia, why aren't 바카라사이트y playing a bigger part in 바카라사이트 design of 바카라사이트 exam?

Mr Gove's thinking has been heavily influenced by a report from Sir Richard Sykes, former rector of Imperial College London. It underlines 바카라사이트 fact that although universities are 바카라사이트 main "clients" for A levels, 바카라사이트y have little say in 바카라사이트ir content or assessment, this having shifted over 바카라사이트 years from awarding bodies to successive government agencies, allowing ministers to meddle. And schoolteachers have taken 바카라사이트 lead in dictating content, says Richard Pike, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Chemistry and a member of 바카라사이트 Sykes review team. "You could argue that 바카라사이트 whole process is very inward-looking, almost to 바카라사이트 point of being incestuous in an educational sense," he says in our cover story.

But universities now have a golden opportunity. The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency, 바카라사이트 curriculum quango, is to be abolished. Should universities step in and take control?

Some have attributed universities' hands-off approach to a focus on research and academics' lack of time. But changes under way may force 바카라사이트m to step up. The switch from public to private funding for teaching puts more power in 바카라사이트 hands of 바카라사이트 students who, if 바카라사이트y use it wisely, will push for universities to shape 바카라사이트 qualification that for many determines 바카라사이트ir entry to higher education and to end 바카라사이트 constant devaluation of 바카라사이트 currency of 바카라사이트 A level and 바카라사이트 relentless diminution of 바카라사이트ir efforts.

ann.mroz@tsleducation.com.