School

I’ve been watching “Back in time to school” on the TV. Fascinating how school has changed over the years- they started in the Victorian era and are going up to the 1980’s. I started school in the village primary in 1947. This was a year before secondary education for all, but for most of the time the school had children to age 11+. At that age the infamous 11+ exam directed about a quarter to grammar school and three quarters to the newly established secondary modern. The intermediate technical school just didn’t exist in my area.

The 11+ dividing line lasted from 1948 until it petered out in the 70’s. It is hard to convey now the angst in both parents and children. Essentially grammar schools prepared children for the national examination of General Certificate of Education ( GCE ) taken by subject at age 16. The secondary modern at first. and for many years. did not prepare for exams and children left at the statutory leaving age of 15. Towards the end of the secondary modern era the national exams were broadened into GCSE which offered the opportunity for all schools to prepare for a national exam.

The division between grammar and secondary modern was stark when I was 11. Essentially the grammar school leading to GCE opened the door to just about every type of educational future. The secondary modern ( theoretically equal in esteem ) closed the door to all except the most determined.

I was quite good at primary school although no better than at least one other. What made the difference for me was my mother. My two cousins had both passed 11+ and she borrowed tuition books from my aunt and made sure I used them. She wasn’t just limiting this to me and I was encouraged to invite fellow pupils home for tea , games and a little light puzzle solving. I don’t recall anybody came twice.

I was surprised that most of my fellow pupils took the exam so lightly. Most of fellow children  took the attitude that that they wanted to leave as soon as possible and start work They regarded staying until 16 as a waste of time.

I soon found that most at the grammar school were middle class. I reckon no more than a half dozen of our 36 were working class like myself. I have to say there was no snobbery at all from anyone, pupils or staff, with the one exception of the headmaster. It was, as was usual then, a single sex boys school. Girls went to a separate High School.. I wasn’t a good pupil. I generally languished in the lower half except for subjects like science or history in which I took a keen interest. In a small school of 180 pupils choices were limited. Such as they were these were unfortunate for me. It was History or Geography, I liked both but was forced to choose History. It was Art or Music, I was poor at both , chose Music which was a wasted subject which I didn’t take at GCE. Latin or Woodwork was dictated as I was poor at French so put into Woodwork.

After GCE where I was no better than tolerable I was delighted to enter the science sixth form. At this time in 1958 there was national panic about poor science education, schools were encouraged to expand and I benefited from entering a form which had more than doubled from the previous year.

The school underwent a major change as it merged with the girls high school. This meant as a co-educational school a vast change of every aspect. Out of this merger I first met Annette when we were sixth formers together although we had little overlap of lessons.

I had, quite inadvertently, fallen foul of the headmaster. While all except two of us were made full prefects we two were acting prefects. When we were choosing where go to continue I was influenced by the Robbins Report on technical education. This designated 8 non university institutions to become Colleges of Advanced Technology. The idea was that these would become centres of excellence equalling or surpassing universities but just focussed on science and technology. Knowing how successful this had been in the USA with such as the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology I was attracted to the idea. This also avoided the issue for me that I didn’t have the O level in a foreign language that most older universities demanded.

I found A levels quite hard work but this was crowned with success. In particular I managed a stellar result in general studies This was so good that the head found it difficult to accept and delegated all dealings with me about my school prize to his deputy. I have to admit my result was partly good luck. The first main compulsory section was about a new  engine in which I was interested and knowledgeable while the equally compulsory foreign language comprehension question was about Madame Curie and her work. This I knew about through science rather than French.

I have to say I was slightly disappointed by my College of Advanced Technology mainly because I had unrealistic expectations. In fact it taught my subject, chemistry, well and I should have taken more advantage than I did.

It is said that schooldays are the happiest of your life. I didn’t find them so. I was unable to take advantage of all that secondary education could offer because I lived in a remote area. It wasn’t until sixth form that I started to exploit the benefits of after school activities and then only to a limited extent.

The schoolteacher asked little Johnny if he knew his numbers. He replied yes, his dad taught him. His teacher asks what comes after 8 and get the reply 9. And what after 9 with answer 10. The teacher asks what comes after 10 and little Johnny replies-“ the jack”