This summer sees a change to the grading system in GCSEs – instead of getting a grade from A to G students will now (in some subjects) get a number from 9 to 1. The impact of this is yet to be seen but it is expected that very few will gain 9s in all their subjects which has led to some cries of outrage – why are we putting such pressure on our young people? Why do we keep raising the hurdles, moving the top grade from A to A* and now to 9? When will enough be enough?

Hidden inside these questions is a deception because an A has never been enough: even when it was the highest grade, an A was not enough to get you into the top universities. You have always needed something more, a spark that was picked out by entrance exams or interviews, a personal statement that stood out from the crowd, a CV that showcased a range of successes and triumphs.