. . . and pointless

NO WONDer employers are confused when assessing potential staff.

Years ago, exams were graded one to nine, with one being the highest grade and seven to nine being a fail. Now GCSes are graded from one to nine, but this time nine denotes the highest grade.

Who, other than those involved in delivering NVQs, Btecs, ONCs, ONDs and City & Guilds, understands how to interpret the various ways in which they are recorded on application forms?

Which is higher? Which is better? Which is equivalent to another? These questions and more I was asked when working with hiring managers. Surely there is a case for simplification. KAREN CARTWRIGHT,

Redditch, Worcs. HOW can GCSe students who have mastered the principle of Pythagoras’s Theorem be confused by an exam grading system that uses the letters A to G and the numbers one to nine? CHRISTINE NIELSEN, Colchester, Essex.