Wondering if my secondary school was just odd, or does anyone else remember this?

[Mycatishere]

When I started secondary school (in 1992) it was expected that we would ‘back’ our exercise books. This could be in leftover wallpaper, wrapping paper, plastic covers you could get from WH Smiths. Geography books had to be backed in a map. Some kids used cling film.

I remember being annoyed with my mum for backing all my books in brown paper. I wanted something pretty.

Just me?

We did this in 1999. Sticky backed plastic for all except one subject that let us use wrapping paper. I had lilac with daisies on. Mostly they wanted them the same colour so you could easily identify which book it was.

I was in secondary from 2005 to 2010 and I had to do this too. I also had to attach my old English book to my new one which made writing in it really difficult. In no other subject did I have to do this.

We had to do this, I wish we'd had the geography and maps rule.

I did this in 2002!

I started seniors in '86 and remember doing this. Except we were allowed to use posters from Smash Hits etc. I distinctly remember my English Lit GCSE exercise book being wrapped in a lovely Keanu Reeves poster from Just17!

My kids went to a French school and they still do it! Had to be brown paper.

Yes!
Had to do this is in secondary, left in 2012. A decade ago now, guessing schools have stopped? Teachers will probably say because of covid. 😅

We did that. 70s/80s. DDad
used old wallpaper scraps. I hated them, and useD my pocket money to but funkier, and far less hardwearing, wrapping paper from Scribbler- like a competitor to Paperchase. We were not allowed to use magazines.

Started secondary in 1996 and we had to do it. Pointless exercise, the books looked so much worse with stupid wrapping paper or wall paper on them. Our history teacher insisted we used posters of our favourite pop group/footballer/actor etc. Ridiculous!

I went to a Lycee in the 70s. Definitely wallpaper there!!

We live in Germany now and the children all use bought plastic covers in the colour specified by the subject teacher. Hilariously plastic is now obviously considered unenvironmentally friendly so you can buy paper covers instead but those are crap and don't last the year. My older German friends tell me paper ones used to be standard with plastic being the newer thing. Some teachers request paper now, but they're always sold out because of that request.

Some students ask if they can in yr 7 and I always tell the class they can BUT nothing dodgy and if it’s a particular wrong football club, they’ll have to get it redone! I’ve had some brilliant ones relevant to my topic. Once they’ve done it once, they rarely bother again

The school I teach at still asks students to sticky back their exercise books. Some teachers ask for plain sticky back, others ask for subject-related decoration, and I say do whatever as long as your book’s still in one piece by July.

I also remember covering my planner in photos of me and my friends and pictures of my latest celebrity crush.

I started secondary school in 1995 and we had to do this. I'd forgotten until today! I covered mine in lovely wrapping paper from the local newsagents. By 6th form we just used lined paper and ring binders.

We had to do this in the 90s. I remember using wrapping paper and posters out of smash hits!

I started secondary in 1998 in Ireland and we had this

DCs had to do this (well ME actually) in 2016. Got detention if they didnt. Sticky back plastic - I HATE YOU

Yes we did this! Not sure why though tbh?

There was a similar thread to this a couple of weeks ago.

A lot of posters using wallpaper, some of us using magazines .

Having to cover your geography book with a map is a new one though !

Smash Hits posters here too. Butbusually the second best ones because the best ones went on your wall

Yes. We used wrapping paper in 1993. Some people used wallpaper.

We had to do this when I went to school in the 90’s. No one bothered after the first year. When my own dc went to secondary school they were asked to do it too, with pictures related to the subject and sticky back plastic on top. Again, it only happened for the first lot of books, replacements didn’t get done.

To add - I was in secondary school late 70s but my son had to do this 2010s

In Belgium and that is still required in primary school! Thank god my kids are nearly at the end of their school career!