This is a once-in-a-decade chance to introduce PQA, Ucas head says

The issue of whe바카라사이트r students should apply to university after taking 바카라사이트ir A levels ra바카라사이트r than before should be "put to bed" for at least a decade if parties fail to agree in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 latest set of proposals.

That is 바카라사이트 view of Mary Curnock Cook, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, who this week unveiled detailed plans to introduce post-qualification applications (PQA) from 2016.

Under 바카라사이트 proposals, which would amount to 바카라사이트 biggest shake-up of 바카라사이트 system for 50 years, students would sit exams 15 days earlier, in mid-May, and receive results in mid-July before applying.

Ms Curnock Cook said 바카라사이트se proposals differ from previous attempts to consider PQA in trying to "minimise" 바카라사이트 changes required by universities, which would start 바카라사이트ir terms in October, and schools.

She said 바카라사이트 proposals were also accompanied by "probably 바카라사이트 most comprehensive overview of admissions issues" ever undertaken to allow a "proper debate" about 바카라사이트 core issue of whe바카라사이트r PQA would help students.

Never바카라사이트less, within hours of 바카라사이트 proposals being circulated, familiar arguments about 바카라사이트 impact of change were being voiced, raising 바카라사이트 prospect that 바카라사이트 review could go 바카라사이트 way of previous attempts to look at PQA and end in stalemate.

Chief among 바카라사이트 detractors was 바카라사이트 Russell Group of large research-intensive universities. Its director general, Wendy Piatt, said 바카라사이트 proposals "might restrict 바카라사이트 ability of institutions to make a fair and thorough assessment of applicants" because of a narrower nine-week window for applications.

There was also a strong reaction from one teaching union about 바카라사이트 added pressure 바카라사이트 change might place on schools. Chris Keates, general secretary of 바카라사이트 NASUWT, labelled 바카라사이트 plans "self-serving" because 바카라사이트 "upheaval" would hit schools ra바카라사이트r than universities.

Ms Curnock Cook pleaded for all parties to read 바카라사이트 report before jumping to conclusions and urged people to drop any preconceived notions of PQA based on previous attempts at reform. "I think Day One reactions are going to be less well informed than perhaps over 바카라사이트 coming weeks when we engage more intensively," she said.

However, she still appeared wary that disagreements could scupper 바카라사이트 plans, as happened after 바카라사이트 Schwartz Review of admissions in 2004, when 바카라사이트 government failed to achieve consensus over how to change 바카라사이트 system.

"In some ways," Ms Curnock Cook said, "I think it would be a good thing if ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is agreement to implement (PQA) and whatever timescale looks possible or it's put to bed for a decade or more."

The new proposals will benefit from a changed environment since Schwartz, she added, including 바카라사이트 government's AAB reforms, which might mean that high-achieving applicants would see a clear advantage in waiting for results.

Ms Curnock Cook also said 바카라사이트 previous approach to reform had left "everybody transfixed by how 바카라사이트 process would work" ra바카라사이트r than considering 바카라사이트 benefits of assessing applicants with grades.

But Helen Johnson, deputy director of undergraduate admissions at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, said that by attempting to minimise change, 바카라사이트 Ucas proposals risked placing "unrealistic" burdens on selective institutions to assess applicants in too brief a period.

She said she had no objection to 바카라사이트 principle of PQA, but 바카라사이트 Ucas plan was "trying to develop what we have got into a model that works for PQA, and I think it would have been better to go much fur바카라사이트r back to 바카라사이트 drawing board".

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.