With A-level results pending, remember there’s more to higher education than university

As millions of young people await their A-level results this week, the rising cost of living and anticipated “deflation” of grades are expected to adversely affect the university plans of many.

This is a stressful time for young people and their families but little seems to be being done to inform them about the many other ways to achieve higher-level qualifications.

Undoubtedly, a good education is key to successful career and employment outcomes. Gaining a degree improves life chances and supports social mobility – so it is essential that these higher-level qualifications are genuinely accessible to all.

College-based higher education can provide a solution, as it enables people to live at home while studying locally, significantly reducing living costs. Tuition fees are often lower and a further education college’s vocational expertise can provide a greater emphasis on career progression.

More needs to be done to change the long-held belief that degrees are only obtainable by going away to university for three or four years. There are many other, more affordable progression routes and we owe it to our young people to ensure that these options are clearly signposted, accessible and celebrated.

Dr Sam Parrett CBE

CEO and principal of the London and South East Education Group

Imagine this. Living in a nation (England or Wales) where the sewers and the water supply are privatised; where a business can turn a profit by selling you your water and (big bonus!) take away your waste for free.

No wonder Scotland wants independence. That nation kept its water and waste under the governance of its elected MPs. That nation wants to remain in friendship and communion with the EU, the largest market on its doorstep.

Meanwhile, landlord England wants to keep tenant Scotland in place. My prediction is it won’t last much longer. Revolution is in the air. Ireland achieved independence from the yoke of Britain – albeit having to sacrifice six of its counties in the deal – after 800 years. It was a long wait but it was worth it.

Alison Hackett

County Dublin

In his article on our next prime minister’s charm offensive in Scotland, Tom Peck refers to the “galaxy-brained Liz Truss”. Surely he has got his confectionary bars mixed up; on all available evidence, Aero-brained would be more appropriate.

Phil Whitney

Derbyshire

The low-level, bar-talk electioneering of Truss, who suggests that the nation’s productivity would be greater if the nation’s workers showed more “graft”, is another distraction intended to blame others for the government’s shortcomings.

Productivity falls through lack of investment in future planning. This has been stifled through the mismanagement of the economy over the past 12 years of Tory government. Former chancellor George Osborne’s austerity measures did not work and this has been further compounded by the problem that dare not speak its name: Brexit.

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Far easier for Truss and others to blame the workers and stoke the culture war than address the issue by learning from past mistakes and indulging in long-term strategic planning.

Graham Powell

Cirencester

It’s a bit rich that Liz Truss should have said British workers need “more graft”, when the entire Tory government is lacking graft when it comes to the climate crisis, cost of living crisis, NHS resourcing crisis and, well, anything at all really.

Many British workers are holding down two or three jobs and still not making ends meet. Graft off, Liz.

Ian Henderson

Norwich