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Original poster

What Level of education do your parents have?

116 replies

Holliemorrisonx · 21/07/2019 16:12

As we have the threads about parents jobs , what about parents education

I think one has a degree and one left school at 16.

OP posts:

HellYeah90s · 22/07/2019 04:23

This was in New Zealand, dad only received one high school certificate (so o'level) which was the geography (oh the irony I did a geography degree) and left at 16. He was smart but never had inclination to go to school. Much to his parent's disappointment.

Dad spent years doing low paid jobs, he started up a taxi company in the when I was young and made a few bob from that (tourist town).

Mum got 5 high school certificates, left at 17 with very good grades and did a degree in accounting early 80s. She was the first to go to University in her family, her brothers all did trades.

Both came from working class families, bog standard secondary.

I am an only child, after my mum I am the second to graduate from Uni on her side. I got honours in a BA in geography.

1CarefulLadyOwner · 22/07/2019 06:40

Both had degrees and professional qualifications.

GrrrAaargh · 22/07/2019 06:44

Both of mine went to university, but DF apparently got a very good job offer mid-studies and never graduated. I don't actually know if DM ever graduated or not. I know what she studied and I know she went on to work in the field, but no idea of the details of her studies.

Interested in this thread?

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General education

Theworldisfullofgs · 22/07/2019 06:49

Ddad left school at 14. Had a place at grammar school but wasn't allowed to go, as he had to get a job. Actually got a quite a good job because of the war and then went to fight ww2.

Dmum got a school leaving certificate.

TeachesOfPeaches · 22/07/2019 06:54

Neither of my parents have qualifications - mum was pregnant at 16 with me.

LimitIsUp · 22/07/2019 07:03

I am 51 and my parents are 86 and 90. They left school without qualifications as working class children did back then

I have a Masters degree and 2 BAs

Binforky · 22/07/2019 07:08

My mum had me at 16 so no more schooling than o levels. She worked her ass off though and is now the director of a company.

My dad was 29 when I was born had no qualifications and worked as a labourer.

ooooohbetty · 22/07/2019 07:10

Both of mine left school at 14 with no qualifications. My exh stopped going to school at 12, is barely literate. Set up his own business. He's now a millionaire.

Parsley65 · 22/07/2019 07:24

DF from working class. Passed 11+ and went to grammar school, but education interrupted by WW2 and was evacuated, then did national service in Palestine.
DM from poor, rural background and came to England to train as a nurse. Worked her way up to Sister, but had to give it up when she got married.

Ragwort · 22/07/2019 07:28

Both have degrees; although nothing has ever been said, I think my parents are mildly surprised that my siblings and I are not nearly as academic and intellectual as our parents, their conversations and interests are always a lot more ‘high brow’ than ours.

sashh · 22/07/2019 07:34

Both my parents left school at 15. My dad did some grocery exams. My mum had been at grammar school but left the year before O Levels my dad had been at a tech.

She (mum)often winged about not taking O Levels and after an argument when I told her she had one chance to get some before GCSEs came in she took evening class O Levels in English and Psychology.

She then took a GCSE and an A Level so if you looked at out CVs you would think she was younger then me.

I did a BTEC National and HNC through work and went to uni in my 30s.

I now have a BA (2:1) a PGCE at masters level, DTTLS, DipHE and I've started a BSc part time with the OU.

My dad (80) has recently developed an interest in Linguistics.

sandgrown · 22/07/2019 07:36

My DM passed to go to grammar school but her parents could not afford the uniform. She was an intelligent lady and would have done well. She ended up working in a mill. I don't know my DF but stepfather had no qualifications and worked in a mill.
DB joined RAF and has two degrees. I left school with O levels and joined Civil Service then became self employed. I studied for an English degree as a mature student.
My older children both have degrees and youngest is at college but does not want to go to university.

fantasmasgoria1 · 22/07/2019 07:39

My parents had no qualifications. My mum was highly intelligent and a good artist. She had the chance to go to an art school but as it taught the basics in addition she failed the maths so couldn't go. My dad worked his was up in a well known company becoming very skilled. Mum's brother speaks 5 languages and was a teacher. Mum just wasn't encouraged as women were still expected to stay home. I wasn't really encouraged especially by my father but I have a 2.1 degree. My father's family (not his siblings) has a self made millionaire and several relatives who have been to university and have gotten good jobs.

Blueandredandblue · 22/07/2019 07:49

My mother never went to school, my father was a teacher so went to uni in their home country and again went to Uni in the ill when he arrived here. All my siblings went to uni and we all have Masters/ Ph.d. It was expected of us.

Blueandredandblue · 22/07/2019 07:52

I'd like to add that my mother was taught to read and write by her father, she just didn't like school.

TowerRingInferno · 22/07/2019 08:00

Mother scholarship to public school, university, teacher training college

Father left at 15 with no qualifications at all (dyslexic). Did a teacher training qualification in his 50s.

isitwhatitis · 22/07/2019 08:02

One had whatever they left school with I think. They said they had a MBA or similar but it was all lies. The other had something or other but I don't know what. They lied about their qualifications right up until just before they passed away, apparently to make me work hard. It screwed up my self esteem.

Natsku · 22/07/2019 08:05

Mum has a degree in linguistics (I think a Masters because Finland doesn't really do Bachelors but maybe it was different back then).

Dad did poorly in school (undiagnosed dyslexia), went to Bible College afterwards which I suppose is above school level but below Uni level.

tiintoon · 22/07/2019 08:07

My mum has an MA , my dad started a law degree, got incorrectly accused of cheating in an exam (has photographic memory so wrote the answers word by word from a textbook) so left. My mother was a teacher all her life, now retired for 2 years and my dad works is sales in a management position. DH's parents both have an MA. (Dad is about to retire and mum has no continuous income at the moment and is probably considered too old for most positions now but has no private pension so has done some office jobs etc to get by) DH has an MA and I have a degree but hoping to also further my education once the DC are a bit older.

EleanorReally · 22/07/2019 08:12

my dm went to a finishing school in Switzerland. She is qualified.
my df well qualified

isittheholidaysyet · 22/07/2019 08:12

Both were the first in their working class families to go to higher education college and they met there.
They did teaching certificates, though not degrees.
(Dad went for the full degree but failed. His brother has an MA)

One sibling and I have degrees. Our other sibling went to work from A levels.

Aragog · 22/07/2019 08:19

My dad left school at 15. He was in a big family and limited money so it was the norm at the time. He is really bright but you weren't expected to stay and get qualifications - you had to leave and get a job to support yourself and the family, especially as one of the older boys.

My mum has O levels - 9 at the highest grades. She started A levels but then met my dad. Her dad gave her the ultimatum- finish school or leave and let my dad support her so she left. Got herself a job, got married and had me.

Both have really valued and encouraged me and my siblings in education and we were the first to go to university in the family.

Milicentbystander72 · 22/07/2019 08:26

In the 50's - my mum left school at 15/16 and went to work in a shop. In her late 30's she did a 2 week business course, got a £2000 business loan to start up a shop of her own. She worked solidly for 6 days a week and built up a great business which she sold for early retirement in her early 60's.
She's instalment a solid work ethic in me. She's very business minded even now.

My dad left school at 15 and joined the RAF. They re-educated him and he became a flight engineer and had full working knowledge of engines and ejector seats. He travelled the world and was one of the cleverest people I ever knew.

Me and my Dsis both went to University. First ever in the family in 90's. All my DSis's dcs have gone to uni and I'm hoping mine will too - or at least get a great apprenticeship (similar to my dad's old school one)

Sleepyblueocean · 22/07/2019 08:32

My dad left secondary modern at 15 with no qualifications and went straight into an apprenticeship to learn a trade. My mum left grammar school at 16 with O levels and went into secretarial work until she had children. She didn't stay on because she didn't like the school and her parents discouraged it as not being needed for a girl. Most of their children went to university.

yoursworried · 22/07/2019 10:05

My parents both have an undergraduate degree. My mum a PGCE too.

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