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I do not know a single lecturer who holds the view that entry standards have not declined. This is not the students' fault. Most are bright young people and a delight to teach. But they find themselves pawns in a political system that attempts to prove it is succeeding through the cynical manipulation of the curriculum and narrow educational testing.

Sadly, many management teams are complicit in this deceit as they scramble to attract students. League tables ensure that school students are coached to achieve "high" grades. Let there be no doubt: a grade A in 1989 does not equate to a grade A in 2006.

Patrick Murphy
Matlock