Back in time for school?!

[Mummysharkdoodoodoo]

Has anyone been watching it? Do you think some of the children are rude 🙈🙈

@INeedNewShoes - I agree with you completely. I feel it should have been a real test of the times, just like the other 'back in times'. There have been elements of those periods the family didn't enjoy - the mum being constantly in the kitchen etc. The one based 'up north' was good too.

In the grammar school episode, two of the girls were dyslexic and struggling with the board and reading/writing quickly, and saying how they wouldn't cope with it. I'm sure I'll be shot down for saying this but the reality is, they would have been unlikely to pass the 11+ to go to grammar school. I don't feel like they have been realistic enough this series.

Tiredis Very interesting about dyslexia, I know I've got dyscalculia (unheard of when I failed the 11plus) the teacher told my mum that if I'd been half as good at maths that I was at English I would've passed.

The interesting point is that dsis was good at maths but had indifferent English skills and she passed! I also have been told that in some areas the children passing the 11plus had to be 50\50 girls and boys which of course would have loaded the dice against the generally brighter girls.

@ppeatfruit - My maths tutor (I had one for my GCSE's as found maths a struggle) thought I had the same as you. I couldn't see number patterns at all. It's not commonly known - I probably wouldn't have had such a fear of maths if it was more recognised.

I was smacked by the teacher, I was a very well behaved (frightened) 7 yr old, it was for getting 2 maths corrections wrong. What with that and the dyscal. I had no chance

My sister was recalling the other day about a teacher (I think he may have just been horrible) who used to throw rubbers at people who were naughty in lesson - my guess is those big chunky white ones that would hurt!!) She's 41 (8 years older than me) but I was quite shocked as it didn't happen 8 years later.

I'm trying to remember when corporal punishment was made illegal in schools. I don't know whether throwing rubbers would be allowed! It just models bad behaviour for the children who are supposed to be the indisciplined ones!

It's not the best, is it?

The kids just passing comment as they feel like it in class without being told not to.

Would needlework have been that unusual though?

Even women with staff did embroidery didn't they?

I don't remember the programme saying it was unusual, just that it should've been for both sexes. The needlework was in the 1903 episode too. When everyone would've mended things anyway. I don't reckon sewing machines came into the schools then

Sorry, I've only seen the first one & it seemed to be saying that it was necessary as they would be going into service-but obviously women not in service also sewed.

Yes it would have been useful for the men-my dad didn't learn to sew until he was conscripted.

Both dh and I still sew!! It's a useful skill to have esp. in these days of recycling and reusing! I like to do something when watching TV.

I used to make the odd garment, but now it's only buttons & repairs to seams & hems.

An uncle used to turn his shirt collars & darn socks.

Yes that's me! I did line some fairly small curtains this year though I plan to reinforce some bathroom mats that are falling to pieces (they certainly don't make things like they used to) .

I have been watching it and actually I think the children seem like a really nice bunch. They don't strike me as rude at all. I would describe most of them as good-natured, intelligent and articulate.

The teacher playing the Head master annoys me a bit. I think he described himself in the first episode as someone who likes to have a bit of a joke with the kids. Hmm!

One of the lads really cracks me up - he has such an appealing grin.

I agree that it's less immersive than the previous series but I'm enjoying watching it with my teenage daughters. We also discussed the fact that the girls with dyslexia would never have passed the 11+.

I quite like the fact they are showing how normal 21st century teenagers react to stuff that was quite acceptable not that many years ago. They are quite a vocal bunch but that make for some interesting reactions.

I think they also had to handle it differently from the previous series because the kids are not with their families and the teachers will have sound, professional reasons for not wanting to carry through with some of the tasks without being seen to challenge them.

Yes AChicken Good point about the parents not being there! The force feeding of treacle and sulphur and cod liver oil

Yes I agree 5foot The Headmaster is too young.

The grammar school one-pretty much how it was for me in the 70's!

I also remeber stuff getting rubbed off if you weren't quick enough.

Tiredismymiddlename85 the rubbers your sister remember being thrown at pupils were most likely blackboard rubbers like these...a pretty common practice in schools in my day (1980s)!

@fridgeovertroubledwater - Even worse! Look at the size of those!

Have some of the kids changed?

I swear I still have the dents in my skull Tired (I'm 65 - we had flying blackboard rubbers/bits of chalk, Bibles , rulers across the knuckles , "slippers" , canes, and in the case of a couple of Scottish teachers - the Tawse! )

We had some gits! (But also some wonderful teachers)

That is unbelievable Schaden (though stupid of me to say because DF was a teacher and told us he kept control by slippering, even worse, he knew it was wrong and didn't work because he was always hitting the same kids).
He and dm discussed it and didn't hit us. In the 50s\60s so we were lucky I think.

They were less forgiving times in many ways. And one teacher in particular used to publicly humiliate children (he had a class of 8 years olds) by making them stand on a desk while he shouted abuse at them. (He was the Bible-thrower). He also gave us passages of the Bible to learn by heart as punishment for talking etc.

i was never stood on a desk, thank God, but I still know huge chunks of scripture off by heart.

OMG dh said it was the lay people who were worse than the actual priest \teachers in his grammar school. He ran away!

I caught up last night and noticed they don't mention streaming by 'intelligence' I went to a technical school when I failed the 11plus , the first year was streamed (mixed) 5 classes (I think) from A to E. it was very obvious and we all discussed it. Not good for the self esteem, for the lower classes.

It was a copy of the grammar, we had to wear berets, the loony HT wore a black degree robe thing. I remember the older girls bleached their hair and wore the shortest mini skirts (by rolling their uniform pleated skirts up) they even clipped their berets on the back of their bouffants!!
We took CSEs and I fought to take a couple of GCE's, the careers teacher sneered at my wanting to be a teacher, but I went to college to take A levels and CofE so I made it !!!!