Message #41816

[catsmeat]

Disclaimer: this was 20 years ago!

It was one A-level pass grade in your chosen foreign language, plus (IIRC) 5 O level passes, doubtless including English Language and Maths, the standards.  There were exceptions: languages graduates who did a one-year course instead of two (no Private Secretary's Cert, just shorthand, typing and the language option), foreign nationals (ditto) and a couple of British expats who, although they didn't have the formal A and O level quals needed, had good working knowledge of their foreign language, plus "a good general education".  I took the course as I didn't get the grades I wanted for further ed (took 3 A levels, passed only the one in German) and am very glad I did.  Even not using the language option it's provided me with a stable career.  And, far from being a course for A-level low achievers (as was unkindly suggested to me), there were a number of students with very good A level grades there who wanted to do something which would give them a "trade".

There was a post-O-level course as well (two years).  Whether anyone completing that could go on to the post-A-level course, I don't know.