The Guardian’s university league tables are out and the headline news is that Nottingham Trent University has overtaken Nottingham University, “a member of the elite Russell Group” in the ranks.

From getting a good table at your favourite restaurant to hearing about a brilliant job before it’s advertised, we all know it’s not what you know but who you know. Now a study has shown that undergraduates who receive a personal endorsement are three times more likely to receive an offer, despite being no better than any other applicant.

As universities wait to hear if the government is going to slash tuition fees – and thus their income – in a bid to win young voters, the rumour rippling through our esteemed seats of learning is that, if this goes ahead, Oxford and Cambridge will opt out and go private.

There was a time when classrooms were dominated by the ‘3 Rs’, reading, writing and ‘rithmatic. Now, the focus is on Mandarin. And it’s not just the privileged kids in boaters learning this Chinese language – the subject is being taught to state school children from the poorest areas.

To win a place at private school, 11-year-olds have to prepare for and sit a number of entrance exams and then smile through lots of interviews, which can be exhausting for child and parent alike. So, the suggestion that the independent sector should adopt a UCAS-style selection application system sounds great, although, as ever, the devil is in the detail.

I’m not surprised that the new technical qualification, the T Level, is being shunned by top universities. The Department for Education (DfE) may describe the T Levels as “world class” qualifications “on a par” with traditional A levels but it’s the unis who will put those theories to the test and right now they’re not convinced.

After more than five years in the tuition business, I’m used to hearing parents’ demands when it comes to choosing a private school for their child. Whether they want single-sex or co-ed, excellent sports facilities, a location close to London, or a decent position on the school league tables, I understand that when paying for education, people want to know exactly what they’re getting and they want to get the best.

Leading London education consultancy, William Clarence, announced this week a 25% spike in enquiries from families looking to relocate from the US to the UK.

Gaining entry to a top university is the benchmark for ambitious, high-performing students and the standard route into higher education has always been the A-level. Yet with more universities introducing their own entrance exam from which to select students Stephen Spriggs of William Clarence Education believes we could be coming closer to the death of the A-level.