A-Levels should stay, says IOD

17 August 2005

Employers are more concerned about low levels of literacy and numeracy rather than A levels, the Institute of Directors (IoD) said today. As the latest A level results are expected to show yet another record pass rate, the IoD said the real problem was that too many children leave school with low levels of basic skills.

Miles Templeman, Director General of the IoD, said:

“Almost half of IoD members in an NOP survey said that they have encountered literacy and numeracy weaknesses in their young employees. These problems develop in primary and early secondary school – not post-16 study - and are reflected in weak GCSE results in English and Mathematics and Key Stage 2 and 3 test results.”

The IoD said the primary objective for the Government should be to ensure that all young people leave school literate and numerate in the pre-16 phase of study.

Miles Templeman, added:

“As far as post-16 qualifications are concerned, A Levels, although imperfect, should be retained. There is little real evidence of standards being lowered and we would expect the quality of the students and their performance to rise over time. If universities need to introduce new measures to distinguish “A+ from A” then they should be found.

“There is no case for replacing GCSEs and A Levels with a diploma. A revolution in the examination system would not in itself deliver the improvements that are so desperately needed. It would not solve the problem of shortages of teachers in key subjects such as Mathematics. The establishment of the diploma would be expensive, disruptive and take ten years to set up. There is no guarantee that it would lead to higher standards or improvements in literacy and numeracy – the key concern of employers.

The IoD said that rather than initiating a massive upheaval in the examination system, the Government should retain the existing system, make improvements where necessary and maintain the drive to improve literacy and numeracy skills, and continue to support the establishment of new vocational or specialised diplomas.”