Responding to research from the Sutton Trust showing most
university applicants favour a move to post qualification
applications, Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of
School and College Leaders, said:
“This research reinforces the pressing need for serious
consideration to be given to an overhaul of the university
applications system to make it fairer on students, especially as
we think about how to rebuild after the damage inflicted by the
Covid pandemic to so many areas of our national life.
“Teachers work hard and conscientiously to provide accurate
predicted grades for students who are applying to university but
no system which relies on individual estimates of how students
will perform in exams can possibly be an exact science.
Universities have also muddled the system by the excessive use of
unconditional offers to recruit students which causes some young
people to then underperform in their A-levels or equivalent
qualifications and choose courses which may not be the best
choice for them.
“These issues could be addressed by moving to a system of post
qualification applications where students have the confidence of
applying for courses with their grades in hand, but this idea is
too easily put in the too-difficult drawer.
“There are significant practical issues which would need to be
overcome in order to provide sufficient time for the university
application process to take place between grades being awarded
and the beginning of the university year, but it cannot be beyond
the wit of man to find solutions, and the benefit to young people
would be enormous.”
