The pattern of 'A' levels.

I have mentioned before that university admissions boards are growing concerned at the number of "easier" A levels taken by students because grades helped the overall school's result. The universities look more kindly at the conceptually more demanding subjects because they provide a better foundation for undergraduate study.

Cambridge University Examinations Board has recently shown that subjects attempted by students seem to be a reflection of the student gender, ethnicity, social class and type of school attended. They surveyed almost 6,000 A level students.

"Non-white" applicants were 20 times more likely to have studied accountancy, and twice as likely to have studied maths, economics and chemistry.

Of pupils in fee-paying schools 40 percent took courses in maths, compared with only 22 percent in state comprehensives.

Recently announced intentions by the Tories, to encourage the more important core subjects, as a better foundation for university, have produced the not unexpected criticisms from those on the left, of elitism and false distinctions between subjects. But on this issue the Tories have taken the hint from universities, that an A level in Dance, Catering or Film Studies while being challenging does not provide a very good basis from which to launch on a degree course.