24 FEBRUARY 2001, Page 29

Wrong score

From Mr David Shaw and Professor Rachel Killick Sir: Leo McKinstry's article ('Brainless of Britain', 10 February) contains serious errors concerning the entry requirements at the University of Leeds for joint honours programmes in modern languages. We do not have a 'threshold of just three grade Es'; our requirements for most of our (220) programmes range from ABB to BBC; the average A-level points score for our 370 new students in August 2000 was 26.7 (equivalent to ABB). I think our splendid undergraduates deserve an apology.

We note that the nonsense about Leeds

accepting students on to language programmes with just three Es first appeared in the Times on 27 December and Mr McKinstry seems simply to have copied it. Ironic, really, in an article about dumbing down. David Shaw

Director, Centre for Joint Honours in Modern Languages, University of Leeds

Professor Rachel KiHick

Chair, School of Modern Languages & Cultures, University of Leeds