Top RG will sift students based on A Level predicted graves and also on GCSE profile. When they are vastly over subscribed, they need to soft somehow and far more have A Level predictions in excess of their requirement than there are places. Therefore, it’s daft to to think GCSEs play zero role in it. What they mean is there aren’t any SPECIFIC requirements beyond the universal basic English and Maths pass or any other specific course requirements.
So, they won’t say they require 8 grades at 7-9 or whatever, because that isn’t a set requirement and until applications are in, they won’t know exactly how over subscribed they are. At the point they are offering, they might well apply some basic GCSE level sift and root out those with less grades above a certain level or look at GCSEs in certain subjects. But these are not official requirements nor set in advance.
I’d say that if DD isn’t looking to do English, what is more likely to matter is overall GCSE profile and the grades in the relevant subjects. You can still be a very strong overall candidate with other top grades, especially if they are in the key subjects. A 6 amongst a string of 6s probably won’t be so favourable.
It’s a bit daft when people interpret what Unis say about GCSEs as ‘they don’t matter at all’. That clearly isn’t the case and GCSEs form a key part of the info the Uni has about your child and their potential. Yes A Level grades are looked at first, but they are only predictions and many won’t achieve them. The GCSE profile (not individual grades in individual irrelevant subjects) gives a good indication of who might be more likely to actually achieve their A Level predictions.
How else can they sift applications if all they have is far too many students all with stellar A Level predictions which meet or exceed the course requirement?
Of course there are also things like contextual offers to consider and broadening access policies which will be applied.