[steve_o]

Did anyone see this tonight 9.00 pm Ch4, about students going to back to a boarding school 1950's style. It didn't seem that much different from when I went to bog standard comp in the 70's. The tellings off were the same and I had quite a few of those. It's well worth a look though, just to see the matron doing her rounds. Scary woman! All the girls look like something from St Trinians and the boys something out of Just William.

[blinkinlovely]

I saw this. PArt of me feels ot's a bit politically loaded. eg the maths that they couldn't do ...... well any decent primary class could do it!! MAy be more a critique on secomdary ed then???
I was a bit shocked by how some of my phrases were used in a hostile way. The old fashioned bit of me was intigued to see the trendy peeps dressed (and acting) as children .......

still not sure tho

[BigSister]

I thought it was quite intresting and showed a different part of lifestyle
I thought that was mean when they did that maths exam and it was from a 11 plus and they thought it was from a O level paper

[Romantic Old Bird]

I thought it was very interesting!

A few observations though:

I thought the teacher was liberal in terms of my primary school education in the late fifties/early sixties.

We had pieces of chalk propelled at us for talking, and were caned on the fingers.

We were always addressed by our surname, which, when shouted across the room, corridor or playground struck fear and terror through every fibre of my being.

We were indeed made to finish our dinner (I blame them for my weight problems, b******s!) and had a teacher at the end of every table who berated us on table manners.

And, if that was an 11 plus, it was a lot easier than the one I took!

[BusyBee]

And, if that was an 11 plus, it was a lot easier than the one I took!

Quite right ROB. Watching that programme brought back so many memories of my own secondary school in the mid sixties.

The teachers in their gowns, the awful uniforms (we had to wear berets with horrid tassles on in our house colours - mine was clipped to the back of my head, how it stayed on I cant imagine), the discipline (god help you if you didnt get to your feet fast enough when a teacher came in). But most of all it brought back memories of the french teacher who used to lock my shoes in a cupboard all day (I've always got my shoes off) and I had to walk round school all day in my lovely royal blue tights. He also held pupils up by their hair and told them to sit down.

But also the German student who came in to help with our German conversation who we all had a huge crush on. But not forgetting the fabulous history teacher who ruled with a rod of iron but instilled in me a love of history that is still with me.

Those kids dont know what they've got in front of them.

[AndyJK]

Interesting to read your own accounts of schooling years ago.

I did watch the program and I had a feeling it would be a tough environment. I did enjoy it though, not having been around in the 50's myself, and to see what it was like to be at school back then. I strongly believe we should adopt certain parts of 50's education, so that kids today showed respect for others and left school a lot brighter.

It was evident that some of the kids who had passed their GCSEs were having trouble in the exams. I suspect therefore that exams today are made a lot easier now for the Government to be seen reaching targets. It's wrong of course and will explain why kids are leaving school without the proper education they need.

And in a culture now where teachers even grabbing kids could face prosecution, is it any wonder teachers today are afraid to discipline kids that misbehave in class for fear of losing their jobs and thus destroying years of hard work and leaving their professionalism, integrity and reputation in tatters.

[James]

I didn't see this programme but I remember when I was in primary school we went to a reconstruction of a 1920s school in Scotland Street in Glasgow, for a morning.

I remember being very scared of the strict schoolmaster.

[BigSister]

Last night showed them doing English grammar and then they appointed the Head Boy and Girl
The girls then had to act like ladies while the boys did drill
They are all very worried about the O level exams they are going to take at the end

[AndyJK]

Some kid, who is expected to get a GCSE A Grade, received a very poor 17/70 result for his English grammar exam paper. Most of the results were poor overall, with only two or three out of the thirty odd students actually passing, and most of them (not surprisingly) are expecting to receive top grades in their GCSEs results.

[Romantic Old Bird]

Been thinking about this really.

What the difference is, I suspect, is that my generation were just told:

"This is how it is, this is how it's done"

When I went into Higher education at the age of 30, I was seriously handicapped by one thing (apart from being me). That was a total inability to express and argument or question a 'fact'. It did not compute.

Now, I think children are taught to question the accepted, and that actually equips them better for industry, commerce, academia and the big cruel world.

The casualty in all this is of course the loss of order, and loss of respect which was so evident in the first episode of this series.

This mentality was supported out of school by society in the 1950's. It wasn't all jolly folks with perms, and teapots with knitted covers. It was utterly class-ridden and hierarchical. You found out your place in no uncertain terms very quickly.

In our village, the 'aristocracy' were the folk from the manor house (although I was allowed, ala Pip, to play with their son Rupert ocassionally) the vicar, old moneyed rich people, the doctor, and no- moneyed posh people.

Everyone aspired to talk 'properly', and went to Church so as not to be thought 'common'.

In shops, the aforementioned people were ushered to the front of all queues, served first, and got the best seats at the concerts. Their children, no matter how dull witted, passed their 11 plus mysteriously, despite being far behind in all subjects in primary school, at the expense of bright poorer children who mysteriously failed.

So, no matter what has happened to lead us to a 95% pass rate, I applaud it. The world is still unfair and opportunities far from equal, but it is better than the 1950's for most of us.

When Mc Millan told us we'd never had it so good, he meant HE'D never had it so good. He and his upper and middle class peers.

We were still too poor for hoidays, ate lentils and 'cheap fillers' and my mum had to work in the fields to be able to buy us shoes for school.

Still, musn't grumble!

[BusyBee]

I think a combination of the way school was in the 1950s and how things are done today would actually be a good combination.

As a school governor of a secondary school until recently I was amazed at how little respect the pupils had for their teachers who cannot discipline bad behaviour except by 'time out' which just means the kid gets off class.

I also had to interview prospective staff members and was absolutely astonished to find that many of them couldnt spell, had no idea of grammar and couldnt write a decent letter of application. And some of these were applying to teach English!!

There really was a hierarchy for people of my generation. I can remember when I passed the 11 plus and went to grammar school that lots of my friends thought I was going to be too good for them and wouldnt want to speak to them. And I was held up as an example of what you could do if you worked hard. Secondary Modern kids were looked down on and nothing was expected of them. There really was a divide between grammar school pupils and sec. mod. However well they did, when it came to jobs grammar school was seen to be the best.

This programme really has highlighted the difference between today's teaching and that in the past. It's a shame that some of those 1950s kids couldnt be sent into the future and take GCSEs. I have a feeling they would struggle because they learnt by rote and not by thinking.

[BigSister]

Last night the Contraband King got found out then he had some more sweets found and he asked another boy to take the blame
The rebel also got expelled
Next week they take their O Level papers

[BusyBee]

Last programme next week. I shall be interested to hear what the pupils make of their experience. Bet they will all be glad to get back to their normal lives.

[BigSister]

Did any1 see the ending to this
Because I missed it

[kaphc]

The last one was last week, and it showed them getting the results. Most of them did really badly apart from 1 girl who got Grade 1 in English Lang., English Lit., and History and a Grade 4/5 in Maths.

They also had an end of term 50s style dance without alcohol, cigarettes or drugs and a good time was had by all!!

[BigSister]

Thanks Kaphc

[Princess Pink Pants]

I really enjoyed this programme but I thought it was a bit pointless 2 compare theyre results with wot people got back in the 50s coz they only had 3 weeks whereas back in the 50s their whole school life is aimed at preparing for O levels.
These kids only had 3 weeks 2 adjust 2 a complete change in the way they live, being away from their friends and family and learning a whole new way of learning!

Im impressed any of them passed, arent u?

[BigSister]

Tommorow there is a catch up show on Ch4