11 plus - Page 2

cashman · 21-07-2006, 22:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

I sometimes wish I'd failed my 11+, then I could have gone to Accy Tech, met Mr C and I'm sure the 60's would have been even more, shall we say, "eventful" than they were...plus I would have known about that house on Birtwistle Street for wayward young ladies!

didn,t fail mine wyn but thats another story, think i told you on our afternoon out?

Guinness · 21-07-2006, 23:08

Passed mine..Accrinton Grammar..Was something out of Tom Brown's Schooldays in the late 60's...Ben Johnson walking round in black cape, no access to the school via the front door except for staff (wonder what todays fire regulations would make of that), sixth form bully prefects dishing out lines for the hell of it..( those guys still aint on friends reunited...wonder why?)....a fine education did absolutely nothing for me ( I have a job I love, but am paid less than my Hollins brother), except I can spell and punctuate reasonably well!

Alan Gilmartin · 21-07-2006, 23:50

They told my parents for me not to bother sitting the exam, as I had no chance at all of passing. So I did'nt, I knew I had'nt a chance, so what was the point,I always thought I was at the back of the queue when they were giving brains out.

cashman · 22-07-2006, 00:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Gilmartin

They told my parents for me not to bother sitting the exam, as I had no chance at all of passing. So I did'nt, I knew I had'nt a chance, so what was the point,I always thought I was at the back of the queue when they were giving brains out.

ah but al you were well up the frontend of the queue with your musical taste.

Margaret Pilkington · 22-07-2006, 21:37

I have to say, I have known some very brainy people who were ridiculously thick when it came to common sense.
As someone in an earlier thread observed....the 11+ wasn't the be-all and end all....some of us succeeded despite not having passed.
My problem was that I didn't learn to read until I was 7......I think I had a mild form of dyslexia....but it wasn't recognised then, they just labelled you as 'thicK'

Gayle · 22-07-2006, 22:04

I passed mine and went to Paddock House. When I was in sixth form I decided that I wanted to go to Blackburn College to do my foundation year in art. I was accepted on that and it wasn't dependent on good A level results. Being told that it didn't matter what my results were meant that I didn't really apply myself to my A levels and only got one. After my foundation year I went to Salford to do an HND in Graphic Design.

Basically, what I'm saying is that I went more or less through the whole system. The thing that I have learnt in life though is that it does not matter one jot what your academic results are - you learn far more after you leave school than you do at it. Life skills are more important.

I think secondary schools should have more emphasis on politics, banking and money and all those other real things that you need.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my school days and had a fantastic time.

garinda · 23-07-2006, 00:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

I passed mine and went to Paddock House. When I was in sixth form I decided that I wanted to go to Blackburn College to do my foundation year in art. I was accepted on that and it wasn't dependent on good A level results.

Even though we are the same age, I did the same course at the same college as you ( me=child prodigy because I was there first

) You needed a minimum of 5 O-levels or two A-levels, which you must have had, because at that time that was the entry requirement for degree courses for which the art foundation course prepared you.

Back on thread... I think it was wrong that a whole generation was consigned to more menial jobs just because they didn't pass an examination aged eleven.

Gayle · 23-07-2006, 09:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Even though we are the same age, I did the same course at the same college as you ( me=child prodigy because I was there first

) You needed a minimum of 5 O-levels or two A-levels, which you must have had, because at that time that was the entry requirement for degree courses for which the art foundation course prepared you.

Back on thread... I think it was wrong that a whole generation was consigned to more menial jobs just because they didn't pass an examination aged eleven.

Nope, I didn't have two A ' levels and they weren't interested in my A level results at all. They even told me that I could fail them if I wanted because it didn't matter to them - they wanted me to go there regardless of results. Then when it came to getting into Salford (remember I did HND not Degree) they were only interested in my work on my foundation year so again, the A levels didn't come into it.

I had a great time doing two years of A levels and an even greater time when I was told that I could coast through them and the results didn't matter - I did get one of them though.

But back on thread, I don't think people were consigned to menial jobs because of an exam they took at 11. My Dad failed his 11+ but because of that he was actually at the top of his year group at the secondary modern. If he'd have scrapped through his 11+ he might have been in the bottom stream at grammer school and have got demoralised and not succeeded. As it is he's quite happy with his results in life.