To wonder about school in the 80s and 90s

[onceawhitetowel]

The reason I am asking is because I have horrific memories of school then.

Yet things on the whole seem better now.

When did things change?

I can't relate to anything on this thread. I started primary school in 1979. I went through the state school system but in an excellent catchment area (parents doctors, barristers etc) so maybe that had something to do with it. There were some relationships between 6th formers and teachers but nothing that probably doesn't go on nowadays but more discretely.

Primary 1970s and secondary late 70s to 80s.

It didn’t hate school but my observations and those of my parents.

Moved out of London at 6 to essex. I was ok but df said he’d was appalled by new school and was complaining. He’d have moved me but didn’t as I seemed settled. He thought the teachers were prejudiced. Looking back, yes. He thought they were not fit to teach and looking back, yes (they called df at the outset to say I had a problem as I could only write in ‘indian’ (wtf) - when in fact I was writing in the initial teaching alphabet which I was told to do at previous school). I was labelled as not trouble maker but unlikely to achieve anything. We were one of the first mixed families in that place and they couldnt really place is. teachers obviously had their favourites. Df was saying to HT that kids needed foreign languages (as we went into Europe) and his viewpoint was ‘why? Everyone else needs to learn English’.

Secondary. We were assessed after joining. I ended up in top group. It was for everything. I could deal with some subjects at that level but not others. You were stuck in that set all 5 years. Those in bottom set had no incentive to work as they’d never be moved. They were written off. Awful bullying (racial and special needs) ignored.

Sixth form at local grammar- I hated it. New girls told by school they were lucky to be there and probably not good enough and they’d review our ability to stay in school. Students there taught same attite (laughable looking back). Back then more diverse cohort (income) but girls from less affluent areas marginalised. Racial bullying of a new girl who’d recently come to uk from Uganda ignored. I’m appalled that I didn’t do more - but a demographic that would push back.

I think it’s better (not perfect) in that ds is assessed across all subjects and he can move up and down.,Bullying generally is frowned upon (but I’m living in Essex now again and diversity awareness not the best).

Not brilliant but better than in my day.

Primary in 70s and secondary in 80s. I remember:

Physical violence, both threatened and actual, from teachers (primary)
Bullying from both primary and secondary teachers
Bullying and/or exclusion by other students (both)
Sexual harassment from male students (both)
Repeated attempts at religious indoctrination (primary)

Aside from being sent to Coventry, none of it made me feel particularly sad. I guess I came to think of these things as normal.

Aren’t these all very individual experiences?

I wasn’t bullied and enjoyed school - but bullying did happen a lot.

Yes, individual experiences but many of them borne of policies and attitudes of those times.

Were the 90s really that different to now? I went to primary in the 80s and there was no physical violence and I was definitely a teacher favourite at the time

Left school in '98. Yes things were pretty bad back then. There was a LOT of violence and abuse perpetrated by pupils on other pupils. I don't necessarily think things have got better, just there is more likely to be evidence available (CCTV, camera phones etc) - everything in my day was the victim's word against the abusers'. Keeping in mind there was usually more than one abuser, it was easy for the bullies and thugs to outnumber their victim, and in the absence of any concrete proof teachers didn't want to get involved.

I remember my 11 year old
Class mate mum’s died and I was asked to look after her . My skills at that age were woefully inadequate . But she did protect me from the bullies . I was so gutted when she moved to canada .

And yes little safeguarding back in the days

@897654321abcvrufhfgg

Also remember PE in knickers and vest if u forgot kit!!!
How old were you? It was bra and knickers for me when I forgot mine!