Member-only story
A Failed Education
And a certificate that dare not speak its name
I was born into the generation that was required to take the 11 plus exam. An exam you took to ascertain whether you were to be streamed into the upper echelons of grammar school education or be cast down into a secondary modern schooling system. I was still ten when I took the exam (my birthday not coming until August). And failed. In fact I wasn’t even aware that we were sitting for the exam. We had done a series of mocks that all blended together. I don’t think we were ever told which one was the real thing.
At the time I was made to think it was a big deal. And at the time it was. It decided on my future for the next few years, and put me on a certain career trajectory after that.
It definitely left me with a sense of failure. That you weren’t good enough for grammar school education. You were too thick, and had to be consigned to the scrap heap, the dustbin of academic education. The career emphasis in such schools were on practical, less academic pursuits. Putting you into some form of apprenticeship was the desired goal. The idea of going on to University was scrawled out with a thick red line. You? You have to be kidding!
My problem was that although I had failed in terms of any academic abilities, that is, according to the 11 plus, neither was I…
