Where I went it was expected to succeed. Some teachers were great, others were not. Yes, our school had the cream. We'd worked damned hard to get there. Most top grades are from the grammers and other schools as generally the best get there.

It's called a meritocracy.

Chemistry? Good bloke. We got on. He once taught a lesson from the GCSE syllabus until someone pointed out he was looking in the wrong one...
My Physics teacher was pathetic. utterly useless. For the first 6 months he was on exchange in Australia, and we missed the supply teacher when he left.


So I got the syllabus and a decent textbook and learnt it myself. I wasn't going to let him ruin my life. I got a B and I'm rubbish at Physics. If I can get a B and have nothing more than book-learnt data parrot fashion then there's something wrong with A levels. They weren't testing understanding, merely the ability to vomit up facts on demand.
Modules can be retaken what? 4 times max. One can cram for an exam then forget it all. There is almost no need to understand the subject.
I'm amazed that people on the cusp of adulthood whinge that it's all their school's fault and they're powerless to do anything about it. Get married? Sure. Vote? Sure? Have kids? Sure. Take the initiative for their own live? Nope.

The best universities are after the best. Most aren't are not the best, hence the term.