NON A-LEVEL ROUTES TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Smithers and Robinson (1995) [26] point out that, unless the percentage of the cohort taking A-levels is increased (and Dearing (1995) [7] offers little hope of this) there is very limited scope for increasing the number of higher education entrants with an A-level background: already almost all of those who obtain two A-levels proceed to higher education. As mentioned in Section 5, much of the recent growth in undergraduate numbers, over all subjects, is due to non A-level and mature students.

This is less true in mathematics and science. In particular, relatively few mature students opt to study mathematics and science. The Open University, by far the greatest provider for mature students, reported that mathematics attracts fewer students with `low' previous qualifications than any other foundation course and that these few have a poor success rate.

If, as is indicated by Dearing(1995) [7], future growth in science and engineering numbers is likely to come through the GNVQ route, then GNVQs will be of increasing significance for universities. However, GNVQs were established as a more vocationally-inclined qualification to supplement A-levels. Few entrants to mathematics degrees are likely to have followed the GNVQ path; but there will be many students of science, engineering and other mathematics-based courses who have done so. For that reason we particularly welcome the establishment by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications of a Mathematics Advisory Group. We hope that it receives the appropriate commitment from the NCVQ and that it will involve mathematicians from a varied selection of universities. We also welcome its funding of research such as is described in Lord et al (1995) [18] which proposes, on the basis of evidence from universities, a rationalised set of mathematics units designed to prepare students for a wide range of undergraduate studies.

However, much remains to be done to ensure that, and then to convince higher education that, mathematics courses within the vocational sector are being described, delivered, and assessed in satisfactory ways. It is important that higher education is fully involved in this process. Until this has been achieved, we should be very hesitant about any attempt to combine A-levels and GNVQs into a uniform framework.