Sir, August has come round again, and with it, no doubt, ridiculously high pass rates in A levels. I am 19 and received my grades last year. Teachers at my school kept many of the old O level papers to give to us as practice. Having done both, I can honestly say that despite being “equivalent” to GCSEs, these O level papers were much harder than my A levels.
Lowering standards so that no child has to hear that they have failed is ridiculous. Students in countries which still use a version of the O level exam perform better in the fundamentals such as maths when judged independently — Singapore being a shining example.
P. GEGAN
Uxbridge, Middx
Sir, Brenda Despontin bemoans the modular style of exams (Comment, Aug 17) but the rot started in 1950 when the School Certificate, which required a pass in a minimum of five subjects all taken at once, was abandoned in favour of the General Certificate of Education (GCE). It was possible to take a GCE in one subject and resit it once the following year.
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Employers much preferred that applicants had all the subjects required on one certificate. The demise of “success or failure” exams was accelerated by the abolition of the 11-plus, when the student had only one shot at it.
ALAN M. PARDOE
Malvern Wells, Worcs