Did you go to a grammar school?

[trastrick]

Nothing wrong with having a grammar school education ./ My mate went to one and is a lot cleverer than me. Why he is always skint and drives an old car puzzles me . He is good at spelling and maths /me ordinary. Absolutely no common scense at all. I have to lend him my time share for his holidays / Clever but not Bright

 

Well, you can have facts, then there's knowledge, then there's understanding, then there's wisdom, which is the common sense to know the difference.

[spider1]

Well, you can have facts, then there's knowledge, then there's understanding, then there's wisdom, which is the common sense to know the difference.

 

This doesnt explain to me why he is so bloody thick , But still a nice man prob a bit to nice and soft.

[beechnut]

...In my opinion, 11+ was a good entry level for kids who would benefit from a grammar school education but, 13+ was never a fair system of entry.

I think it depends on the individual child. Hillsbro (Post 17 above) made the point that there is "no one age that is right for all kids to make the break" and his college friend evidently benefited from transfer to a grammar school at 13. Of course, the comprehensive system tries to cater for children of all abilities, and it will always be a moot point as to whether or not grammar schools are a good idea. There is no doubt that many of them provide a first-class education for children who show early promise.

[trastrick]

I think it depends on the individual child. Hillsbro (Post 17 above) made the point that there is "no one age that is right for all kids to make the break" and his college friend evidently benefited from transfer to a grammar school at 13. Of course, the comprehensive system tries to cater for children of all abilities, and it will always be a moot point as to whether or not grammar schools are a good idea. There is no doubt that many of them provide a first-class education for children who show early promise.

 

Even though I failed the 11 plus exam I'm a big believer in Grammar Schools.

 

The town I was working in had a Grammar and and Comp, just down the road!

 

The Comp down the road, was graduating thugs and car vandals, with a 30% absentee rate among stressed-out teachers, while the Grammar was sending the odd graduate to Oxford and Cambridge.

 

The differences were so stark, it was embarrassing to the politicians. It got so bad that the politicians wanted to merge the schools, so the the abject failure of the the Secondary school would be covered up and those parents who wanted and could afford the best for their children would be taken down a peg or two.

[gregnig]

Was crammed in the fourth year juniors to pass the eleven plus with the instructions for our parents to put King Edward's & High Storrs Grammar at the top of the list.I passed to King Edward's but was not interested in learning about the likes of William Shakespeare or the Chaucers of this world. I wanted to be involved in Engineering & of course could not study this at King Ted's. Was one of the smallest boys in the class & terrified of being caned by the bully boy teachers. After leaving at sixteen, got a job at the Sheffield Branch of a well known Compressed Air equipment manufacturer. Spent three evenings a week at Sheffield College of Technology for five years studying for an ONC in Mechanical Engineering . Many other members of the class had been educated at the Central Technical School & were well ahead having studied the necessary subjects at school.

Had comprehensive education been available in those days, I would have been taught the subjects I was interested in.

[bladebeer]

I went to a grammar school and although at the time I felt out of my depths I appreciated in later life the knowledge and benefits it gave me. Many of my friends did not pass the 11+ but still made their own mark in life .It all depends on the individual.

[soft ayperth]

We were poor, no father, and the selection process in the 40s took into consideration, the parents ability to support their child in higher learning (books, uniform, homework environment). I was a border line passer, and they actually told my mom that It would be better if I went into a job early to help support my family.

 

So I didn't get to go to grammar school, although I was always the top boy in class and eventually Head Boy at Heeley Bank.

 

I suppose they meant well.

 

So I became an apprentice journyman electrician at F.H. Wheeler (Sheffield) Ltd for 7 pence farthing an hour. First assignment their "stores' in Paradise Square.

 

Fast forward to 2001, after a successful business career in Canada, I found myself semi retired, teaching IT at King Edward V11 Grammar for a year, and the Science Link Governor at Queen Elizabeth Grammar, sitting on many school committees. I also did educational research on teaching assistants, and could often be found taking notes at the back of the class in a number of elementary schools.

 

My IT teaching was 3 to 4 hours a day, so interestingly enough the rest of the time was spent covering English, History, Science and Social studies for absent teachers. I actually got a good rating through two different OFSTED inspections.

 

In the summer I would mark A Level papers on contract.

 

I did well and could have stayed, but instead of joining the Teachers Union, and getting my Teaching Certificate I opted to return to Canada.

 

I used to look out the window, while my students were taking their GCE A Level exams, and wondering how I got there, or if the cops would come for me if they found out I'd left Heeley Bank at 14.

 

A fascinating bio trastrick. Shows that real life work experiences and self teaching can, in some cases, be an effective substitute for formal education. Well done.

[stpetre]

There is no one age that is right for all kids to make the break from primary to secondary education, and this is a powerful argument in favour of the comprehensive system. The 1944 Education Act resulted in the age of 11 being chosen as it's the age when - it was thought - a majority of children would have shown whether or not they might benefit from a grammar school education, or a technical school etc. Some provision - though not enough - was always made for "late bloomers" (I was at college with a student who had failed his 11 plus, but at 13 transferred to a grammar school) but many more pupils were late developers than were able to switch schools in this way. As a back street kid who went to "King Ted's" I suppose I was fortunate; I doubt very much if I would have done as well at a comprehensive school.

 

Just out of interest, what were the grammar schools in Rotherham ?

[TORONTONY]

Just out of interest, what were the grammar schools in Rotherham ?

 

A cousin of mine attended Oakwood which I think was a grammar school in Moorgate area I think there was one not far from there which was a very old one and changed it's name to Rotherham College in the sixties, I remember it was a boys only school like ours and we played them at football and cricket.

[stpetre]

A cousin of mine attended Oakwood which I think was a grammar school in Moorgate area I think there was one not far from there which was a very old one and changed it's name to Rotherham College in the sixties, I remember it was a boys only school like ours and we played them at football and cricket.

 

Yes Mr. T. 'Oakwood' came to mind but not the place on Sheffield's Norwood Road, which I think was private and near to your 'Alma Mater' on Scott Road.