V.A.T, in school fees

Ana, I had more to worry about than school records,

I meant schools are/were concerned about their records Annie. If you had problems at that time, I'm sorry.

Didn't concern my school Ana , they were all fir encouraging not squashing

Jen, you benefited from an entrance exam fir private education but now want to take this away from children

Harold Wilson abolished direct grant schools in 1974 and Blair abolished assisted places in 1997. Blame Labour governments. At least you can't blame Corbyn.

So no child can get into a private school unless parents pay full fees?

There are scholarships and bursaries awarded by the schools themselves

Correct Fitzy54 and these bursaries are often offered to children from the feeder independent prep schools.

...and Margaret Thatcher was the Education Secretary holding the record for closing the highest number of grammar schools!

Sorry, I meant the scholarships are often offered to children from independent prep schools, bursaries are different.

Thank you both

I think scholarships are available to all based on academic or other (musical, sporting) achievement, and bursaries would be means tested help for parents who cannot afford the fees.

In my experience the scholarships and bursaries are often used to maintain children who otherwise might have to drop out of the school. So mum and dad get divorced and there is a long legal fight, fees are paid until things resolve. Daddy's business loses a lot of money, fees are covered by a scholarship whilst he sorts things out. Sometimes children from outside get help but often it is the ones they know who do best.

But as roses said, it's not really on to brag about one's amazing scholarly achievements and private school education, however come by. Not sure Corbyn would approvve...

We have different memories of our O level grades because the system changed several times between 1951-75 and varied somewhat between the different exam boards. Until 75 all O levels were pass/fail and only pass was recorded on the certificate against the subject. However, usually the actual grade was given separately to the student. % were given until 1960, then for several years grades 1-9 with 1-6 being passes, then from about 64, letters A-G with A-E being passes were used until1975. At least one board for some reason no one seems to know used A,C,E as passes and F, H as fails from the late 60s to 75.

I don't understand why giving relevant information about one's educational achievements or private school education is 'bragging'. They are matters of fact which have contributed to who we are and the lives we have llived, as have the professions( if any) we trained for and had careers within. I passed the 11plus and went to an excellent girls' grammar school. I benefitted enormously from that education ( but it was all because my mother realised that education was a way to escape the poverty into which I had been born). In that sense it wasn't my choice and I am absolutely against grammar schools for a whole raft of reasons which doesn't make me a hypocrite in any way at all. I think it's interesting to hear the views of people educated in a whole variety of ways and if someone educated at Oxbridge for example, contributes something relevant to a thread based on her time there, I don't regard this as 'bragging'

Good post rig

The information wasn't relevant. That's the point. Have you actually read the thread, Rigsby?

But as roses said, it's not really on to brag about one's amazing scholarly achievements and private school education, however come by. Not sure Corbyn would approve...
Perhaps he might if he had something to brag about.

Although he is perhaps an inspiration for all those who leave school with few qualifications

DH did Oxford and Cambridge board O levels, mid 60s. He was graded by numbers.
I did Cambridge Board early 60s and yes, it was numbers. 1-6 was a pass, 7-9 a fail I think.

A levels were by letter for some reason.

I am curious as to why djen who presumably benefited from a scholarship to a private school and went on to get good qualifications and Jeremy Corbyn who may also have benefited from a private education (no qualifications to speak of but leader of his party now) and whose mother taught in a Girls' High School are so against these types of school for other people's children.

Me too Jalima. I'm also struggling to understand how Rigby can say that she "benefitted enormously from her grammar school education, but is absolutely against grammar schools for a whole raft of reasons which doesn't make her a hypocrite at all". I'd be interested to know why, when one has personally benefitted from a grammar school education, how is it not hypocritical to want to deny that benefit to others? Sounds a bit like pulling the drawbridge up to me.

I'd just be interested to know really.

Possibly because they have the ability to empathise with those who were not as fortunate as them and want a fairer world where everyone has the same chances. It's obvious from some posts that this isn't an ability shared by everyone.