A top university boss has criticised the exam system on A Level Results day, telling GB News it shouldn’t be just about the examinations.
Professor Ian Dunn, Provost at Coventry University who helps oversee academic work, made the comments as thousands of students across the country collected their exam results.
He told GB News: “During the pandemic, results were calculated differently, and this might be a little bit controversial, but it wasn’t necessarily worse than the current system.
“The current system is built on examinations and they’re great for some people - I have a short-term photographic memory, it’s fantastic and I can do an examination.
Professor Ian Dunn believes results shouldn't just be calculated based on exams
GB News
“Actually, when you’re practicing your subject, when you're out in the field, when you’re a nurse or a teacher, it isn’t about the examination, it’s about the long-term capability to do the job.
“Here at Coventry, we’re moving away from terminal examinations to assessments on people’s capabilities as well as their knowledge, and I think an examination system moving in that direction would be much more powerful for the country.”
The Department for Education revealed 32.1 per cent of all English 18-year-olds have been accepted into university, with 75.7 per cent of applicants being accepted into their first choice, an increase on last year and pre-pandemic.
National figures also reveal the proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades remains above levels in 2019.
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Students across the country received their A Level results today
GB News
More than a quarter (27.8 per cent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, higher than before the pandemic when 25.4 per cent of entries were awarded A or A* grades.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said: “Students should be incredibly proud of their hard work over the last two years and their achievements today – I know many will be planning their next step, whether that’s university, venturing into the world of work or starting an apprenticeship.
“This government is committed to breaking down barriers to make sure that all young people, wherever they are from, have the knowledge and skills to seize opportunity.”
More than 240,000 18-year-olds have been accepted into university, up six percent on last year, Professor Ian Dunn says a degree is still “a fantastic route to their future”.
He told GB News: “We hear lots about apprenticeships, and they’re fantastic and a wonderful route, often working within universities because they’re linked to degrees, but for many people the degree itself is a fantastic route to their future.
“It is the case that people who gain a degree go on to earn considerably more over their lifetime than someone who hasn’t studied.
“A degree isn’t just about the academic, it’s about skills development. The nurses, the teachers, the engineers that Coventry trains, you can’t do those jobs without the professionalism of a degree.”