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Universities urged to consider pre-sixth-form qualifications

Posted on 28th April 2009

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A leading independent school head has called on universities to take into account pupils' studies before the sixth form.

Master of Wellington College Anthony Seldon has urged the higher education sector to consider what qualification students take before their A-levels so they can help advise which they feel prepares them better for university.

Writing in the Times Higher Education with David James, director of the International Baccalaureate (IB) at Wellington College, he speaks about the school's decision to offer the IB's Middle Years Programme from September.

This will allow teachers to have more of a say in developing the curriculum, although demands that this is done with "an awareness of links with other subjects", they write.

The qualification recognises "that the borders between disciplines are porous" and has no external exam, therefore offering a "radical" alternative to teaching at pre-sixth-form, the results of which universities should compare with GCSEs, the private school representatives argued.

Mr Seldon recently noted that he hopes the move to the IB MYP will make Wellington "the most innovative and exciting independent school in Britain".