Did you fail your 11+ exam?

I failed, my parents were horrified, especially as my cousin who the considered to be as bit dim passed!
I think my dad took it very badly, I think he lost interest in me after that.

No I passed and went to an all girls grammar school.

I took my 11+ in 1956 and I did pass I ll never forget hearing my form teacher say to my Mum “I m surprised to tell you your daughter xxxx has passed her 11+ I didn’t expect she would”
I really did feel put down by that sentence although I liked that teacher a lot Absolutely no faith in me although I think I d always been a reasonable student definitely not a high flier but average in the A group
I remember it took the shine off it and I felt very disappointed

There is a higher pass mark when there are fewer places at the grammar school too. It varies from year to year. I agree it is such an unfair test.

Bossyrossy I failed in 1959 too and was so disappointed. From feeling like I was rubbish and useless, in 1975 I showed what I was capable of and did some O and A levels (adult education classes) then went onto to do a B.Ed.Hons 2.1. At the age of 36 I became a primary school teacher.

there were fewer places available for girls in grammar schools, so it was unfair.
locally there may have been some variation on this, but nationally there were more boys' grammar schools than girls'.

this is always the problem with grammar schools.
i know people who failed it long long ago; the stigma has never left them. it really marked them down in their own eyes.
my brother went to a rare bi-lateral school; you didn't have to pass exams to get in there, but you could take public exams if having the potential.
was a kind of precursor to the comprehensive ideal i guess.
the art master designed the school badge, and there was a pipe organ being built, which the woodwork classes added to each year.
wish i'd gone there, a proper school, purpose built, with trained teachers. i went to a very strange private school.

Nope, I passed. Was told I passed highest in the local schools. I certainly wasn't the brightest in my class at grammar school and usually came in the bottom half in exams. Four girls and one boy passed from my school so I'm not sure that the pass mark was lower for boys at that time.