Teachers support Sats for university entry, poll reveals

Most teachers support the use of American-style Scholastic Assessment Tests (Sats) to select students for the elite universities, a survey revealed yesterday; a week before the official inquiry into university admissions prepares to publish its recommendations for making the process fairer.

Most teachers support the use of American-style Scholastic Assessment Tests (Sats) to select students for the elite universities, a survey revealed yesterday; a week before the official inquiry into university admissions prepares to publish its recommendations for making the process fairer.

Professor Stephen Schwartz, the vice-chancellor of Brunel University, who is leading the inquiry, is expected to back the introduction of one national university entrance test to stop institutions from setting their own exams, which he believes deters poorer students from applying to the best universities.

A MORI poll for the Sutton Trust, the education charity set up by Sir Peter Lampl, the millionaire philanthropist, showed that 55 per cent of secondary school teachers in England and Wales believed Sats would be a useful tool for university admissions tutors alongside A-level results.

Supporters of Sats believe they would help elite universities to identify bright candidates from state schools who have the potential to succeed at the best universities, even though they may have poor A-level results. Sir Peter said: "A trial of the American Sat in British schools showed that, as an additional measure to A-levels, it can identify talent from schools with low examination performance."