- this time not from the government with some mad-brained scheme to reduce the effectiveness of exams still further and make qualifications easier to obtain. They have other things on their mind, and Ed Balls in any case had been boning up on economics in readiness for taking over the Chancellorship.
No, this time the implied threat comes from one of our top universities. Imperial College London are confronted with far too many applicants each with grade 'A' in all subjects. (Of course, we are told, there has been no reduction in standards, no dumbing-down, students really are so much brighter than their counterparts 20 years ago.)
Confronted with too many applicants equally qualified the College has decided that it may well have to hold entrance tests and hold longer interviews. (They also reject the Ballsian "diplomas" as further dumbing- down.) Last year a quarter of all A level papers gained an 'A' grade, and 20,000 students received 'A' grades in all subjects attempted.
Exam paper content is easier,- in comparing old papers, the courses are modular and parts may be repeated, and there is a large element of non-exam assessed work.
There has been talk of such things happening before, but Imperial College are now preparing seriously for aptitude tests, especially in mathematics.
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