Eleven Plus

A Private Tutor, coaching, study aids, after-hours classes, coercion and bribery. This is very much a normal course of action for parents today on behalf of their offspring when encountering an important stage in their educational progress. The mad scramble to get children into the better perceived State schools has involved deception and lies, subterfuge and trickery, false witness ,flattery by imitation and, again, the twin partners of persuasion-coercion and bribery. In our area, given the prospect of their junior school children progressing to a large inner-city comprehensive school, there was a mass demand to purchase houses, for those in the privileged position to do so, in the catchment area for what was regarded as a more genteel and suburban school although the phrase, "the lesser of two evils" does come to mind. Consequently, house prices in the selected area commanded a £10,000 premium above their comparable neighbours. The modern phenomema of social engineering is perpertuated. How different a situation in my own experience in or around April 1974. I attended a small junior school in a very sleepy, one through road market town. A Board School from the 1930's with classrooms off an open verandah arranged in a 'U' shape around a courtyard garden with flagpole. A frequent accident that befell teachers and pupils was inflicted by a hastily outward opened classroom door onto the walkway directly into the path and face of the unfortunate person, usually a child running (WALK, DON'T RUN,YOU  BOY). The school was a feeder for the two upper schools in the town, the Boys Grammar School and a new Secondary Modern Co-Ed. This designation from the age of 11 served to split the youngsters of the town into perceived high flyers destined for University and great things and then the rest, manual workers, cannon fodder and no-hopers. Of course, there was great prestige in attending the Grammar School. The newest intake still had to wear short trousers and the stirring school song, Latin phrased was sung at a very formal daily assembly under the eagle-eye scrutiny of gowned masters. The school was founded in 1669. The school also had around 40 boarders in a large dormitory house. Old Boys were prominent in the Sciences, Arts and academia. The Co-Ed secondary was in contrast bright, brash, well resourced and a truer reflection of real life but nevertheless a poorly perceived option.
The allocation of the placings for the two establishments was through the 11 Plus examination. Perhaps I had not heard of it in class or had been completely oblivious to any letters to be taken home, parental briefings or any mention of it by my own parents. I arrived at school one morning to find the classroom desks arranged individually in regimented rows rather than their usual bunching together in two's and three's. I still did not comprehend the importance of the day for my ongoing education and beyond. Up to that point school had been something that I was obliged to do to prevent my parents from being sent to prison. The exam paper consisted of a lot of multiple choice questions and problem solving which I recall as being similar to the riddle based conundrum of the fox, chicken and something else and a river crossing, eating habits, natural succession, etc, etc. Refining and defining your destiny in the short space of a 2 hour exam cannot be right but it is still natural selection and not social engineering. The results came out some time in the June of that year. I had passed, probably on the narrowest margin. The devisive nature of the process was made clear to me immediately when I rang my best mate, Stuart McGill. His mum answered the phone and my initial relief and euphoria was devastated by the news that he had not passed. Her cold and genuinely spiteful words to the effect that I was assured to get in because of my background and situation still leaves a sour taste to this day. Me and Stu remained friends even though his mum continued to shun me if I called around for him. Those who passed were feted by parents with bikes, cash or other gifts. I had not asked for or expected anything but did get a portable transistor radio. Result. The summer before the ascension to the Grammar School went quickly by and before long I was being dragged round the outfitters for the regulation uniform and accoutrements. New satchel, tin of geometry equipment, pack of pencils and pens followed. I was nervous about a larger school and the expectations imposed by tradition and discipline after a carefree existence up to that time. The following 5 years until we moved away were, in retrospect, and on the whole, averaged out, probably the most interesting and character forming period of my younger life.