Were you a school prefect?

I should add that although it was a comprehensive school we were actually streamed by class. We were the top stream lol

Classes took in it turns to be prefects in 5th Year. My class had a claim to fame though. We were all sacked and banned from being prefects ever again. At first everyone was impressed by our skills. There was never any trouble when we were prefects. But then it all when pear shaped.

Apparently it wasn't the done thing to let people smoke in the toilets in return for a cigarette. Neither was it OK to let people stay in the cloakrooms if they shared their sweets.

The adults didn't seem to care that we had the best discipline record. They just said we were corrupt. We saw it as a mutually beneficial system after all we were giving up all our breaks and lunchtimes. Other pupils liked it when we were in charge.

No, I was too cantankerous. Our granddaughter is though.

No way, and neither was anyone else in my year.
We were told the year as a whole was too rebellious and opinionated.
Also the of choosing boys and girls as prefects had been found to go against the non chosen at interview for higher Education.
The head girl was a nonentity who wouldn't say boo to a goose but was good at public speaking as she had had election lessons and I actually can't remember who the head boy was so he must have had a lot of impact on us.

Yes anyone who wanted to be could be if you were in final year and in the top class. I just wanted the badge and the piping on my blazer.

Yes, I was a prefect. I think all the girls in the sixth year were made prefects, because they needed twelve boys and twelve girls and - unusually - only twelve girls had stayed on after the first set of Highers: Scots will know what I mean. I was never sure just what we were supposed to do. I do remember standing at the bottom of the stairs telling recalcitrant juniors (including both my sisters) to remove their scarves. During Asian flu, when the staff were decimated, we were sent off to supervise junior classes, most of which had also been de-populated. None of us caught it until it came round again the following spring.

I was late to the party when it came to being a prefect - academically top of the pops, but like biglouis did not shower the school in glory with my sporting achievements, of which there were none. My musical ability did not count apparently. I was also what I would call "quietly subversive", doing as bid on the surface, but not really caring about any of it.

However I was made a prefect in the second tranche of appointments - the HM said he was making me a prefect on the basis of "set a thief to catch a thief" - make of that what you will!

Yes I was a prefect in 5th year .and came top 3 in final exams - . did cross country running/netball team/rounders.. now I have 2 bad knees/arthritis and limited Mobility.. 👀

I was quiete and quite subversive. So no I was never chosen. Even managed to evade reading in assembly for five years .

I was never elected to anything, or picked for anything for that matter. I fear my sense of humour - inherited from, and finely honed by my Mother, made me an oddball at school. Often I made a remark which was taken the wrong way when it was supposed to be light hearted. I met a former school mate years ago who said that she had been wary of me because I could be quite scathing. That did make me feel sad - I had never meant to be. I had three good friends, one of whom is still living, and still my friend, so I must have had limited appeal somehow, even if not for any positions of authority in school.

I was also a school prefect and then Head Girl at Grammar School. I was really surprised to be Head Girl- think it was selected by teachers but Prefects were voted for by everyone in the year and the staff.
I was in a lot of clubs at school and was also Captain of the Debating Society, which I loved . I was only ever middle- ranking at sport but I remember my Deputy was the champion sports player and took over all of that area.

Yes, I was - but I was far from a goody two shoes. I was good at sport, quite academic I suppose, but mainly I suspect I became a prefect because I kept all my bad behaviour out of school. They didn’t know about the older boyfriend with a motorbike, the underage drinking or the late nights - which was probably all for the best.

No! too naughty, I was a rule breaker, the rules were asinine anyway, mine was a Convent school, it didn't take much to drop oneself in it. I was a milk monitor in junior school I don't suppose that counts!

Yes I was a prefect being a real goody two shoes. Not for me the rebellious teenage years. I always preferred the quiet and conformist life. Still do.

Always the rebel Biglouis

And heartily glad that I have that mind set.

Always the rebel Biglouis. 😁

I left after the 5th Form, after GCE’s, so no, wasn’t a prefect as they were chosen when in the Upper V1.

My GC, who now attend the same grammar school, have no idea who the Head Boy/ Girl is, although they aren’t called that now.

I really don’t think titles like prefect or head whatever mean as much nowadays as they did back then.

No. Don't think I actually went to a school for more than 2 years, as we moved every three years. Plus I mitched off school for the afternoon about every three weeks when I got bored, so not exactly a model pupil. Although I was consistently top of the class in some subjects I was consistently bottom in the others 😁

hahahaha

Once the whole class was kept in for detention and I sloped off home, hoping no one would notice. Unfortunately the teacher had taken a register.

Next day:-

Teacher: why didnt you show up for detention Biglouis?

Me: My mum works and if I dont come straight home to let my sister in I get a whalloping from my dad. You arent allowed to hit me miss and Im more scared of him than I am of you!

Nowadays social services would be called at the mention of a beating by a parent but this was the 1950s and no one batted an eyelid at such parental discipline. I used that excuse a couple of times and no one questioned it.

In my last couple of years I sloped off about once a month in the afternoons. Usually to miss sport or maths. Once register was taken (with your own form teacher) the students went off to their other classes. By then we had begun to specialise so not all children went to all classes. I used to dodge into the girls toilets until the corridors were quiet and then slip out. As the register had already been taken teachers assumed any absences had already been noted and dealt with by the form teacher.

I was never caught doing this. I used to go home (knowing my mother was out working), visit my grandmother or go around the shops. I was never caught.

See what I mean about the rules! I was far from perfect. But I was a swot.

Yes, I was a prefect in my last year at senior school.

Yes, prefect and Head Girl.
If you re arrange the letters, it's because you're perfect you get to be a prefect! Not!

Up the age of 11 I was a quiet and conformist child and a bit of a people pleaser. Then something happened to me in junior school which I wont go into here. It caused a mini breakdown as a result of which I probably failed the 11 plus. It brought about a complete change in my personality.

I became much more "out for myself" and to see what I could get away with. I broke a boys nose because he was bullying my friends and I - an older bigger boy at that. I was quite proud at having been able to stand up for myself and was never bullied again in school.

My attitude to "rules" has grown to see how they can be gamed and manipulated to work for my advantage. Im told I have the mindset of an entrepreneur. I always look for "the angle".

I would have made a terrible prefect.

I was far too naughty to ever be considered as a prefect at my girls boarding school. Then I was expelled!

I was not nearly conformist enough to be made a prefect, and I’d have been rather insulted if the staff thought I was suitable.. I would have encouraged rebellion.

I was editor of the school magazine, though, and I was vice-captain of my form once, when I was ten.

I was House Captain and in later years Head Girl. Not sure what you would make of that Big Louis.
Probably voted for as House Captain, but selected as Head Girl.