Education, education, education.....

[TheOstrich]

My secondary all-boys school was a total university-entrance pressure-cooker.

At 13, pupils were divided into language based or science/maths based classes (WM's traditional academic) and many subjects, such as music, RE, art and craft, even PE simply went off the curriculum.

Social/general studies, dance and drama were catered for by after-hours school clubs if you were that way inclined; these and home economics were never on the curriculum in the first place.

Certain subjects such as history / geography (either/or), and French, were compulsory to O-level, but pupils were basically taught to optimise A-level performance in their "core stream" for university entrance.

If, like Tom (and me! ), you had no real desire to go to university, there was little careers help and a general air that you were a second-class citizen and "letting the side down".

Well, it worked for some, but not for others (including myself). I don't know how I survived it, really, looking back on it. I think a tendency to subversion and a good sense of humour helped …..

[Workingman]

Ossie, I take it that you went to an all boys grammar.

Those, and all girls, became an anachronism as we entered the '60s with all its 'freedoms' and hopes.

Having failed the 11 plus I went to a forward thinking mixed secondary, which had setting and streaming. I then went on to pass the 13 plus and took a mix of O-levels and CSEs. IMHO it was one of the best systems we have ever had - not perfect, but better than two types of schools each only offering only one exam format.

[Kaz]

I went to a very traditional mixed grammar, traditional subjects including compulsory Latin and French. However, very few went on to Uni, most left at either 16 or 18 and went straight into professions such as the Civil Service or banking.

[TheOstrich]

….. including compulsory Latin.

Oh, Gordon Bennet !

Amo, amas, amat …..

I couldn't wait to give all that up.

[Workingman]

Amo, amas, amat …..

Catholic school for me so we had to do Latin in order to understand and chant the prayers at High Mass.

Our take was: Amo, amas, amatit - again. Good Catholics were not supposed to do such things.

At primary school we had open confessions in the chapel. The priest would sit on a holy stool and each confessor would kneel in front of him with his or her back to the congregation.

So up goes this lad:

"Bless me father for I have sinned. This is my last confession."
"Why is it your last confession my son?"
"Because I am going to be a good boy from now on or my dad will belt me."

[Kaz]

[TheOstrich]

[Suff]

Too many teachers in the family to discuss without rancour....