How naughty were you at school?

I couldn't say I was naughty, but I seemed to be always gazing out of the window at the fields which were next to the school watching the birds, the farmer with his tractor, anything but concentrating on lessons.
Many a time the teacher would ask me what that particular lesson was about and how I came up with the right answer still puzzles me to this day.
I used to frustrate the teachers as my school reports from each one of them had said that they knew I could have done better when it came to exams. Somehow, I didn't want to do better ! Stubborn ? I don't know.

Very naughty girl - pregnant in the fifth form!

Usually girls didn't get 'the strap' after about 14. I was the last in my class to have this punishment. I didn't do my homework for Miss Ferguson, the music teacher and didn't have a convincing excuse. I knew I'd only a few months to go in her class and didn't see the point. Unfortunately she disagreed with me! Regrettably at about the same time, I got into a fight with another girl. I seem to remember we went at each other with belt buckles. Luckily our hearts weren't in it! By the time we reached 6th year, we both became prefects.

I was always a good girl in school. Much too timid to risk trouble with the nuns and other teachers. I hated high school. Bullied by the ‘cool’ girls I couldn’t wait to leave.

Teetime I think you've won!

We were kept busy at school so there wasn't much chance to think about getting into mischief. The biggest crimes were usually to do with uniform. At the age of 11 my arms and legs were already too long and thin for my small skinny body, so I was the non-standard bit of the ensemble. My gymslip was too short and baggy and my blouse and jumper looked as if they had three-quarter length sleeves, the only item that fitted was my tie. Worst of all, I had to have a letter from my mother to explain why my shoes were not quite the regulation style - my feet were too big. I was absolutely useless at sport, always falling over, so I'd hide in the loo. The teacher must have noticed but never said anything. Nobody would have wanted me in their team. I loved writing, music, art and needlework, as I do still. I had a stab at being the class clown, quite successfully but it wasn't really my character and I didn't want to jeopardise a reasonably good relationship with most of the teachers. In the second year I took up the cello, folded myself up behind it and stayed there for the next six years.

I loved school and would have been mortified if I had got in trouble, have always tried to “fit in” until menopause.

I now try very hard not to “people please” and put myself first sometimes, that is after the GC, AC and Mr.GG13 of course!!!

I was far too scared of everybody to ever do anything daring or naughty! The nearest I got was being assisted over the railings to retrieve various tennis balls etc from the railway embankment. All would have been well had anyone given any thought as to how I'd get myself back over the railings ...

I remember at Little School one of the boys put Alka Seltzer in the ink wells. Our beautifully written compositions ended up like a colony of caterpillars crawling across the page!

I got the strap when I was 7 for not receiting my 7 times table properly .,can you imagine that now ?

I think I must have been a joy to teach! Truly, I loved school and had a thirst for learning. However, I was constantly in trouble for talking too much. Regular chatterbox and I have no idea why. I was certainly not repressed at home. Could not control this failure in me. Think (you'd have to ask others!) I've improved.

Large school, 1500 or so intake, impressive main entrance with large pond set to one side, with lilies, koi carp etc, and on one occasion accompanying these was a bubble car belonging to an annoying geography teacher. Floated very well.

One trick reserved for new student teachers first day, take bayonet light bulbs out of fittings, generous lump of silver foil, fit bulb back. Lots of sparks crackles and bangs when the lights were switched on.

I had a double dose of the cane on both hands, six whacks for sliding on the school roof and six for not owning up to it when the head asked the pupils who had been sliding on the roof.

I was much too timid and frightened ever to be naughty. I was the youngest in my Grammar school class, being a late summer baby and also having gone there a year early, and was a late physical developer to boot. I was put in detention just once---we had to wear wrist purses for our dinner money, bus fares etc., and I was caught not wearing mine. I'd taken it off and put it in my satchel because there was nothing in it and the buckle was cutting into my skin. I resented that detention bitterly--and still do!!

Unfortunately? I was in neither the naughty or good camps but I hotly objected to being part of a whole class detention if no-one owned up to whatever misdemeanour we were being punished for, such as smoking by the sports field or chatting to the Grammar boys through the railings.
I never was kept behind.

I was always too scared to be naughty. Anyone ever been taught by Catholic nuns, priests and brothers?

What? Me be naughty? At a convent grammar school? We would have been whipped into submission!!! Not on your life. I saved being naughty till I was in my twenties and then all hell let loose!!!!

I was never ever anything but a good girl. My school reports say I was quiet which my family thinks is hysterically funny. However, I met my husband , who was at uni, when I was in the U6 and used to bunk off on Thursday afternoons to spend time with him and then go home as if I had been at school. I only told my mother on our tenth wedding anniversary.

I loved my primary school, always in the top 3 or 4 in the class, loved learning, class full of friends. I respected the teachers, loved learning it was all interesting.

I detested my second [grammar] school, the pressure, the competition, the boring lessons, the hateful strict teachers, the snobby classmates. I would play truant a lot of the time, spending hours walking around the town.

There was trouble at home too, I was a disturbed teenager, it must have been so obvious but not one of these 'intelligent' teachers picked up on it...just picked on me every chance they got.

I was one of the poorer kids and the teachers and classmates singled me out. I was there with daughters of diplomats, executives, consultants, dentists etc. My stepfather was a window cleaner, then a milkman...On the first day of school we all had to stand up and tell everyone what our fathers occupations. Disgusting. I went on to be rebellious and non cooperative in most lessons.

However I have to say, to be fair, there were a couple of decent enough teachers and a couple of [older] girls were kind to me and helped me through.

I remember 2 stories.
Normally I managed to get away with stuff - too clever by half. But once - don’t know what I’d been up to but the music teacher told me I was obstreperous. I had no idea what it meant so, just to be polite, thanked her very much. She was not impressed.
Another time when I was about 12, we were having a geography lesson in which Miss Westhorp was showing us slides of Australia and asking us to identify where the places were. She showed us a pic of the Great Nullarbor (sp?) Plain - an expanse of scrub land with manky vegetation and dust clouds and asked us which state it was in.
‘It’s in a dreadful state,’ I replied and was hauled off to the Headmistress for the first and only time in my life.

Slipped out of school in a free period to go into town, repeatedly ‘lost’ part of my PE kit to avoid games and Super glued someone’s desk shut once, but other than that I think I was too scared of authority to be really bad

I went to a boarding school and was quite naughty. After an exeat once, I brought a bottle of cider with me to share with the dormitory, not allowed of course. Arriving at my boarding house, the bottle slipped from my grasp and shattered all over the steps! A friend rushed out to help me clear it up and I was never caught. My mother was so mortified, she didn't wait to see what happened and drove off!

I was very naughty! Always laughing and passing round notes etc. We had the most ghastly headmistress and it was terrifying being sent to her.

I think I was quite compliant at infant and lower juniors but injustices stick with me!
I was sent to get a plastic ruler for the teacher to use to hit my poor friend Peter, her found learning difficult and was being punished for not knowing an answer.
Another occasion, another school, my friend was picked on by a teacher.. I realised later it was racially motivated. When the awful woman actually crashed a heavy book down on my friends head I told my father. The teacher left at the end of term and Leila was not harmed again.
At boarding school I was often part of the group standing on the landing before bed, denied social time, for having slimy soap, hair in my hair brush or bitten nails!

At secondary (day) school I became less and less compliant! I worked hard for teachers I admired & who I felt were fair. Cut my nose off to spite my face of course!

In History lessons we would begin a hummm which would get louder as the useless woman droned on! We also crawled out of class when her back was turned and then knocked on the door and apologised for being late. She would just look confused and carry on droning! How stupid I was.. 14/15 yrs old.. what a horrible child I was!

I was a good child and tried really hard to do well. My primary school was strict. From age 9 to 11 I was regularly caned for getting a spelling or sum wrong. I loath the teachers who did this and can't quite forgive my parents for turning a blind eye.

Used to read School Friend at the back of the maths class.

My Grammar School was very strict and I was always in trouble, mostly for talking in class, got a blackboard rubber or book to the back of the head for that one, wearing my skirts too short ( rolled up at the top) throwing my beret in the river, not doing homework, not tying my long hair back, used to stuff it down the back of my blazer and our deputy head, Miss Cook, used to stand at the end of assembly handing out hair ties ?? and so many more too numerous to mention. I was a definite rebel, I m so different now, although I’d describe myself as a fairly adventurous 61 year old ?