The A-level exam results are out in the UK. Over 350,000 teenagers have been placed on undergraduate courses, according to UCAS, the organization that manages applications to UK full-time higher education courses. And while they jump for joy, excited at the prospect of going to university, some social commentators and education critics are harrumphing.

They feel that despite their success, these exam-savvy youngsters are woefully ill-prepared for the real world. And that the ones who go to university are simply entering outdated institutions that don’t prepare them for the world of work.

Most university courses aren’t vocational. Yet, the debts that mount up throughout a course (an average of £50,000) are forcing students to create a “personal brand” and a portfolio of work before they leave – so that they have a chance of competing in a crowded marketplace once they graduate.

In the past, students were only expected to step-up their writing, thinking and analytical skills while at university. Now, they’re expected to take Instagram-worthy internships and use social media to network their way to success. They’re expected to document their skills and capabilities across a range of social media so that they can effectively secure work opportunities.

A report from the Department of Education showed that in 2017, graduates and postgraduates had higher employment rates than non-graduates. And that the average, working-age graduate earned £10,000 more than the average non-graduate.

So good, so far. But this emphasis on securing work is contributing to a hole in their university life. This manifests as poorer quality studying and writing skills on the essays they write throughout their course. And the writing they do in the business world. This is not new. And it’s not down to youngsters spending more time on Snapchat than perusing the abridged works of Shakespeare. But it’s a skill gap that doesn’t seem to be closing.

Many arrive at university after years of teachers “teaching to the test”. Students haven’t necessarily been given the opportunity to think for themselves. At least, not in an academic sense. Their teachers have been judged on results throughout their teaching careers. So, their primary task hasn’t been to help students to write fluently, or accurately. In fact, while 26.4% of exams scored an A or A*, just 1.8% of English language exams were graded A*. Overall, the teachers have done their jobs, which has been to get their pupils to pass. And the overall pass rate for 2018 sits at 97.6%.

But when school leavers get to university, many will find themselves in a quandary. It’s likely that they’ll feel a pressure “to get their money’s worth”. Yet, they’ll also be faced with a barrage of new concepts and theories. And they may not have the writing skills to communicate them effectively. Ironically, this can hamper their chances in the job market.

A Royal Literary Fund report called “Writing Matters” labeled the writing skills of students “shocking” and “inadequate”. What’s more, an academic survey cited in this report found that 90% of lecturers said it was necessary to teach writing skills to students. Yet, university is structured so that the teaching of writing skills is not embedded into courses. It’s a veritable chicken-and-egg situation.

In any case, qualifications alone don’t sell themselves anymore. So, students need to see themselves as a package, not as a vessel for their exam results. They need to hone their soft skills – their ability to think well, write well, be emotionally intelligent and communicate with themselves and others.  Employers want to hire people who are creative, resourceful and resilient.

So, as students crack open the prosecco and celebrate their results – I say we give them a break. Going to university is a massive life transition in itself, as is starting work for the first time. It’s easy to forget the days when you couldn’t boil an egg. And it’s easy to forget that it’s the system itself that isn’t teaching students the writing and communication skills they need to truly succeed in life and work.

Students should double check the location of their exam prior to arriving at the Accommodated Testing Center. PTS uses other locations across campus as needed and will change the location in the PTS Student Portal. The PTS Accommodated Testing location is STEW G59.

Check-in Process

To check in for an exam, students will need the following items:

• PUID (required for all testing appointments)
• Pens/pencils, erasers, rulers, calculators, etc.*
• Any materials students are allowed to use on their exam as specified by their instructor and/or accommodations

* PTS will not provide writing utensils or calculators. Students must bring their own supplies.

Students will be asked to place all of their electronics (i.e. cell phone, smart watch, etc.) into an envelope and turn them in to the Proctor prior to receiving their exam. If students have any questions during their exam or they feel as though their accommodation is not being met, they are asked to inform the PTS Staff immediately.

Student Expectations

Breaks: Students are expected to treat breaks as they would in most classrooms. Bathroom breaks will not be allowed unless specified otherwise. If students have concerns about breaks during examinations, they may contact their access consultant.

Food and Drink: Only a CLEAR water bottle will be allowed in the testing rooms.

Keeping Time During an Exam: Clocks will available on the walls in the exam rooms to keep track of the exam time. There will not be clocks at each individual seat. If a student feels the need to keep time at their seat, they may wear a non-smart watch that does not make noise. Their watch must be approved by the proctor in order to take it into the exam room. Official time of the exam will be kept by PTS staff.

Personal Belongings: All items (hats, purses, scarves, hoodies, etc.) will need to be stored in a bag provided to the student upon their arrival to the Testing Center. These bags are sized to fit under their testing station during their exam time.

We do ask students not to bring additional items other than what is required for their exam to the Testing Center.

We understand that students may be taking exams in-between classes and may have backpacks. In this case, they will need to store them in one of the bags provided by the PTS staff.

If a student is seen reaching into the provided bag during an exam, they are at risk of having their exam terminated as a possible breach of academic integrity. Students will continue to turn in their cell phones and smart watches to the proctor at the time of check-in as has been the procedure in the past.

Exam Start Time: Students must start their exam within 15 minutes of their scheduled start time. Failure to start on time may result in not being able to take the exam. Please be sure to take this into consideration when planning travel to the Testing Center.

PUID: Students are required to present their PUID to check-in for each exam. No other form of ID will be accepted and students will be at risk of not being able to take their exam without their PUID.

Scantrons: All scantrons must be completed within the allotted exam time. If students have an accommodation that requires PTS staff to fill out their scantron, the student must inform the proctors at time of turning in their exam. Failure to do so may result in a scantron not being filled out and answers not graded.

Harrow's GCSE students appear to have done better than ever in this year's examinations.

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IN the LAMDA examinations held on November 24 and 25, the pupils of Jean Willis of Great Harwood achieved the following results.