Mr Chips says that ATCOs "need to have followed a course of study up to A level", therefore you just need to have studied up to A level standard although you do not have to pass the exams at the end of it. ATSAs need GCSEs. Isnt that the same thing?. Just out of interest, I know many ATSAs who have Phd, Msc in Astrophysics, many have degrees in both the Arts and Sciences, as well as professional flying licences such as ATPLs. I just wanted to point that out as Mr Chips seems to think that most ATSAs are bearly literate.