22nd August 2012 12:47
By Blue Tutors
A Level points system to be scrapped?
A report on the BBC Education website today reports that many educational establishments and most universities would welcome the scrapping of the points based UCAS offer system which has been in place for the last 10 years.
Universities, schools, awarding bodies and government, regulatory and funding bodies all submitted replies to the UCAS consultation.
In total, 63.5% of all of those who responded were in favour of dropping the current tariff system.
About 16.1% of respondents were against the proposal.
Among universities alone, more than two-thirds were in favour of moving away from the tariff system.
This is a reaction to the fact that now students are studying a wider variety of subjects than ever before and that some of these subjects are not recognised by the points system. In addition many universities are now making specific subject grade offers which mean that their students are more qualified for the particular course to which they have applied.
But there were also fears that scrapping the tariff system could narrow students' choices at A-level and mean schools focus on exams that will win students places. A fear that UCAS acknowledges is justified.