There are two key performance indicators for an undergraduate degree applicant within the UK. They are the 'GCSE' qualifications, which are generally examined at age 16 and the higher award 'A-Levels', which are typically examined at age 18. Both of these, in tandem, are the most common forms of entry qualification to university degree education in the United Kingdom. In the recent years how many times have we heard the comments 'A-Levels aren't as hard as they used to be?' The question should be 'does it matter or will it matter?' as more and more students are opting for humanities based subjects for further study. Each year the A-level results come out showing increased pass rates, yet we do not see any improvement in the ability of students to tackle the mathematics of engineering design degree courses. In fact, the situation is worse than this, but politicians are unwilling to admit this.
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