Schools have been drawn into the Garrick blueprint by the proposal that the Advanced Higher, due to be introduced in the year 2000 as part of the Higher Still reforms, should be given credit ratings to count towards university entry.
But the committee believes partial credit, which would require students to undergo a summer bridging programme or additional study, is the likeliest way forward before Advanced Higher students can be admitted directly on to the second year of a university course.
The report takes a more vigorous line on links between the Advanced Higher and higher education than university principals who have stuck to the view that the Higher must remain the benchmark for entry. It notes that one-tenth of the fifth and sixth formers, or up to a quarter of the population entering higher education, will be aiming for two or three Advanced Highers when they are introduced.
The committee notes that this change will require “the immediate active co-operation of the higher education institutions which is not yet assured”. It wants universities to hold discussions about curriculum boundaries with schools.
