When I qualified as a commercial pilot, back in the late 80s, there was very little emphasis on human factors, cockpit resource management, crisis management etc when compared to today. In fact many of these topics didn't even exist when I learned to fly in the 70s! Now there is a much greater emphasis on these topics. I am not saying that to become a commercial pilot you do not need technical skills, of course you do, but the emphasis has shifted more now towards leadership attributes and resource management particularly at times of high workload, and for that there is less of a technical requirement. They are looking for more rounded individuals with a good range of skills now.
I only have GCEs and didn't graduate and I have known several people with similar qualifications to mine make it through to work for BA.