Chevvron,
Entry requirements may have dropped, but I don't think you can say that standards have dropped purely based upon the qualifications cadets have. My qualifications are well above even your earlier entry requirements, but that provides no guarantee that I'll do well at the college! Maybe NATS have realised that academic performance in A-levels or GSCEs doesn't correlate with ATCO performance? Until ATC A-levels or degrees are offered at schools/colleges/universities, I don't think it really matters what grades or certificates you have.