Changes reported in U.E.

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32406, 19 September 1970, Page 19

Changes reported in U.E.

Proposals to encourage a more flexible approach to senior secondaryschool education were released this week by a working party set up by the Universities Entrance Board.

These proposals are linked with a suggested revision of the qualifications for entrance to university. Although academic standards are not relaxed in any way the working party suggested that more notice should be taken of the longterm effects of a pupil’s attainment, aptitude and potential. Such proposals also allow for more consideration to be given to those Sixth and Seventh Form pupils who do not wish to go on to university but who desire a higher qualification than the School Certificate examination. The changes suggested include an examination in subjects for which candidates are not accredited, and an assessment scheme whereby the entrance qualifications could be aggregated through accumulated passes by accrediting or examination over a period of years. Other needs "The Universities Entrance Board recognises the need to examine entrance to the universities in the light of the more comprehensive needs of Sixth Forms, which are retaining a growing proportion of the total secondary school population, and in relation to the revised School Certificate examination and the University Bursaries Examination,” the chairman of the Entrance Board (Sir Alan Danks) said in introducing the working party’s submissions. The working party’s proposals would be circulated as

widely as possible for comment before any specific changes were adopted by the board.' In examining the case for the award of University Entrance being made at Form Seven level rather than at Form Six the working party decided that while it could

be adgued that entrance from Form Seven- now predominated, and therefore the fact should be recognised by regulations, it could be said that the general public acceptance of Form Seven entrance makes enforcement unnecessary. Aptitude test The working party proposes that candidates enter for the University Entrance examination,’ normally in Form Six at present, in one to six subjects. “All candidates would take an aptitude test on the lines of the Scholastic Aptitude Test used by the College Entrance Examination Board in the United States. The test is designed to measure the development of the student’s verbal and mathematical skills. The test would be taken at the end of the second term. The Entrance Board would compile national criteria from the results of the tests and this would be returned to each school along with the score of the candidates from that school. Each candidate would also receive individual notification. “Useful target” The working party’s proposals to open the entrance examination to candidates who wished to take fewer than four examination subjects “would provide a useful target and qualification for many pupils who do not propose to proceed to university; it would give strength to a Form Six course for a pupil who was completing one or two School Certificate subjects and it would allow entrance subjects to be combined with technical or commercial subjects to form a suitable Form Six programme for those wishing to go to technical institutes.” “At present a candidate who fails University Entrance has gained no qualifications from Form Six. The proposal would give credit for such success as was achieved.”