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University A-level plan welcomed University A-level plan challenged
(40 minutes later)
  
Plans to let universities dictate the content of A-level papers have been given a cautious welcome by teachers and the head of exam regulator Ofqual. Plans to let universities decide the content of A-level courses have been given a mixed reception by teachers and universities.
The education secretary raised concerns current exams were failing to properly prepare students in a letter to Ofqual.The education secretary raised concerns current exams were failing to properly prepare students in a letter to Ofqual.
Its head Glenys Stacey said the move - applying to English exam boards, whose papers are also sat in Northern Ireland and Wales - was "the right thing". Ofqual head Glenys Stacey said the move - for English exam boards, whose papers are also taken in Northern Ireland and Wales - was "the right thing".
The NUT union said it could work but only with "culture change" in schools. But the NUT teachers' union criticised the lack of consultation with teachers.
The letter from Education Secretary Michael Gove, obtained by BBC Newsnight and sent to Ofqual on Friday, suggests formal control of A-level content should be taken away from exam boards and handed to universities. The Million+ group of universities accused education ministers of "ignoring advice" from higher education and said changes to A-levels were a "much more complex task than simply getting a few academics together".
The letter from Education Secretary Michael Gove, obtained by BBC Newsnight and sent to Ofqual on Friday, suggests control of A-level content should be taken away from exam boards and handed to universities.
"It is important that this rolling back allows universities… to drive the system," he writes."It is important that this rolling back allows universities… to drive the system," he writes.
Catch-up classesCatch-up classes
It comes as a study suggested universities wanted A-levels to be more intellectually stretching and with less spoon-feeding from teachers.It comes as a study suggested universities wanted A-levels to be more intellectually stretching and with less spoon-feeding from teachers.
Cambridge Assessment, which runs the OCR exam board, found many lecturers believed students arrived unprepared for degree-level work, with three-in-five academics running catch-up classes. Cambridge Assessment, which runs the OCR exam board, found many lecturers believed students arrived unprepared for degree-level work, with three-in-five lecturers saying that their institutions had to run catch-up classes.
Mr Gove's idea is that exam boards should still set courses but that schools would be advised to enter students for them only if they were approved by a Russell Group university. Mr Gove's proposal could mean that exam boards set courses but that the content and assessment would be shaped by university academics.
He has asked Ofqual to oversee the new regime: "I will expect the bar to be a high one: university ownership of the exams must be real and committed, not a tick-box exercise."He has asked Ofqual to oversee the new regime: "I will expect the bar to be a high one: university ownership of the exams must be real and committed, not a tick-box exercise."
Mr Gove says the Department for Education should have no role in developing A-levels. Mr Gove says the Department for Education should withdraw from developing A-levels.
"It is more important that universities are satisfied that A-levels enable young people to start their undergraduate degrees having gained the right knowledge and skills, than that ministers are able to influence content or methods of assessment," he wrote."It is more important that universities are satisfied that A-levels enable young people to start their undergraduate degrees having gained the right knowledge and skills, than that ministers are able to influence content or methods of assessment," he wrote.
"I am particularly keen that universities should be able to determine subject content, and that they should endorse specifications, including details of how the subject should be assessed.""I am particularly keen that universities should be able to determine subject content, and that they should endorse specifications, including details of how the subject should be assessed."
'Critical thinking''Critical thinking'
While his letter suggests current A-levels "have much to commend them", he says they "fall short of commanding the level of confidence".While his letter suggests current A-levels "have much to commend them", he says they "fall short of commanding the level of confidence".
"Leading university academics tell me that A-levels do not prepare students well enough for the demands of an undergraduate degree," he wrote."Leading university academics tell me that A-levels do not prepare students well enough for the demands of an undergraduate degree," he wrote.
Mrs Stacey said Ofqual has been in talks with the government about the issue for some time.Mrs Stacey said Ofqual has been in talks with the government about the issue for some time.
"Getting universities more involved is the right thing to do for young people," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme."Getting universities more involved is the right thing to do for young people," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"Our job is to make sure qualifications pass muster... we can do it better if you involve universities in the design of A-levels.""Our job is to make sure qualifications pass muster... we can do it better if you involve universities in the design of A-levels."
NUT general secretary Christine Blower said there was "no harm done" in looking again at A-levels but expressed concern there had been little consultation with teachers. But NUT general secretary Christine Blower criticised the plans as another "top-down initiative".
She said the move would require a change in culture leading up to A-levels, away from league tables - which encouraged "teaching to the test" - and towards critical thinking. "Yet again we see top down initiatives being brought into schools regardless of what the teaching profession may think.
"We don't only want to develop critical thinking in those young people doing A-levels, we want to develop critical thinking from the word 'go'," she said. "The NUT is very disappointed that Michael Gove has approached Ofqual without consulting the profession as well."
"You can't decide to have a hands-off approach in one bit of the education system but attempt to dominate the whole of the rest of it. A-levels have to be seen as part of the education system." There was also caution from the leader of the private school group, the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.
"Michael Gove is right to want university input into the much-needed review of A levels, but it would be most unwise to give universities total control," said Peter Hamilton, chairman of the group's academic policy committee.
'Grade deflation''Grade deflation'
Newsnight political editor Allegra Stratton said the changes would be likely to prompt the toughening of pre-16 and primary education, with announcements expected in the coming months.Newsnight political editor Allegra Stratton said the changes would be likely to prompt the toughening of pre-16 and primary education, with announcements expected in the coming months.
"Expect the same principle to be applied to GCSEs, maybe in a more extreme form," she said."Expect the same principle to be applied to GCSEs, maybe in a more extreme form," she said.
In Mr Gove's view, she added: "Standards have to go up if Britain's future workforce is going to have the skills it needs to compete in the future.In Mr Gove's view, she added: "Standards have to go up if Britain's future workforce is going to have the skills it needs to compete in the future.
"This will mean an era of grade deflation, fewer students will get the top marks.""This will mean an era of grade deflation, fewer students will get the top marks."
Mr Gove has indicated he wants all of this to "make rapid progress", meaning A-levels could get harder for pupils as early as 2016.Mr Gove has indicated he wants all of this to "make rapid progress", meaning A-levels could get harder for pupils as early as 2016.