I remember clearly that two girls went on to the grammar school and one girl to the technical school; just three from a class of probably 25-30 pupils. The rest of us went to the local secondary modern school. Those three girls and I had headed up four reading groups in the class (I only remembered this when I started writing this piece). I enjoyed leading this group but recollect now that I was very reluctant in later school years to take on any 'leadership' roles.
I was an only child and my mother was a refugee from Germany in the 1930s who was never able to fulfil any of her ambitions. I know my 'failure' was a big disappointment to her. When the younger children of near neighbours (& friends of mine) went on to the grammar school a couple of years after my move to secondary school, she told me they 'wouldn't speak to me again'. They didn't. My father was more philosophical about the whole business but I don't remember much discussion about any of it.
I remember the first day at my 'modern'. Everything was huge and overwhelming. We lined up in a netball court in six new tutor groups. Later we were individually 'setted' for each academic subject. There were five sets and also a special needs department (called ‘remedial’) for those who had specific learning issues. We girls spent large amounts of time (two whole mornings a week, I think) in needlework and domestic science classes, whilst the boys did woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing. There were long art and pottery classes too.
At 13 the French teacher told my parents I should try for the 13 + and transfer to the grammar school. I have a strong memory of not wanting to try for this. By this time, part of me had become somewhat disinterested in academic work. Another part, I think, felt that if I had failed once I wasn't going to chance it again. I was fed up with the whole system. Also, I was particularly enjoying piano lessons (& liked the teacher) and a move would have interfered with that happy stability. I had become used to the school and had some friends. I also remember, particularly, and fondly, the wonderful needlework teacher - a lovely and inspiring woman - and several English teachers. I didn't want to lose that known environment.
This secondary modern did offer O and A level classes beyond the obligatory CSE exams (which we all took). Many pupils left at 15 so the class sizes reduced considerably. I ended up with a reasonable sprinkling of O levels and completed the first year of two A level courses. I then left school to start a nursing course, changed my mind & direction again over that summer, and went on to a technical college. Here they offered A level courses over two years but also very intense one year A level courses. I took this option and got my two A levels and offers to study Librarianship and Information Science at degree level.
My depleted confidence after 11+ failure caused me to transfer from a degree to a diploma course early on at university. I hadn't been prepared, I think for that intensity of work. Student life was a success and the diploma gave me a reasonable career over a number
of years. More recently I completed a TEFL course and did a degree with the Open
University. The move from degree to diploma course at 19 had always left me feeling
annoyed with myself although at the time it was probably the best move.
Until now I have rarely spoken about my 11+ failure. My life has taken me into contact with many people who went to public or grammar school; I often feel I am 'looking in' at their very different school lives when childhood experiences are aired. My husband has encouraged me to move on from this and I am trying to do this, but I believe passionately that selection at 11 is a harmful and damaging process.
Julia
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I can't remember my school days from the 70s, least to say we didn't mix with the grammar school kids in the posh parts of town. No one went on to university from our secondary mod. I was lucky, I walked into a job but many of my friends were lost on leaving school without qualifications, feeling deflated, cheated, some now dead from drink and smoking at less than 50 years old.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your experience. We need to dispel the myth that selection works. It doesn't. The bell curve diverts resources from where they are most needed. It makes fools of us all - damages schools, families and communities.
The 11plus is an evil within a greater good, that should be a rich and inclusive education for ALL children. The 11plus permits grammar schools to cheat the most vulnerable children. They select children from outside of their local communities and convert to academy status to protect their divisive admissions. They use the same crass arguments over and over, to defend their class, that they don't won't to rob secondary mods of pupils, that there are enough grammar schools to go round, that local parents are so feckless as not to realise the importance of education and that they do so well in the top of the league tables that children come from miles away.
Nothing has changed. Our community is still riven by the ruling classes living it large at the council offices passing judgement on us phenotypically hard to reach types, with our Chav looks and kids set ready to stream. We should know our place, the great unwashed.
As for grammar schools raising social mobility, it's a myth that they worked for poor kids (thank you Mr Crowther). I have lived in this area long enough to realise that social mobility assumes children can move out of poverty, but they can't. The 11plus and its supporters see to that.
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ReplyDeleteI hated my primary school. The Headmaster was a sadist who enjoyed giving the boys the cane at lunchtimes (this action carried out at the top of the dinner hall). I did not look but could hear the 3 swishes of the cane. I do not ever remember enjoying eating a school dinner probably because of the physical abuse given out at a time when children are supposed to be resting. I entered sec mod in 1966. I do not ever remember taking THE 11 plus, although there must have been various small tests throughout the year groups. My primary school was segregated into A stream and B stream well before the advent of the 11 plus. I was in the B stream aged 6 years old and never destined for a grammar school. It was probably lucky that I enjoyed my time at sec mod. There were NO expectations to succeed in anything particularly academic but we could enjoy most of the practical work on offer, ie. art, woodwork, needlework, music. At age 13 we could choose an academic route (i chose French English and Biology) which meant that we could go onto further education at the local tech college where we could study for A levels
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