One for older Genration (45+)

[djewkes]

I’m 65, remember large classes (never less than 40, usually 44) at junior level but no problems with discipline. Ruler on the hands for girls at senior level, cane for boys. And yes the flying objects for misbehaving in class, but more likely detentions but the threat of corporal punishment was still there though rarely used.
I changed senior (grammar) school at 13 due to parents moving school and I hated it, all girls, never properly settled and verbally bullied. I do remember a school trip to Paris when I was 15, I had a really good time though and we all went a bit wild... smoking and drinking and roaming the streets at night... guessing discipline was a bit lax lol...
There were no proms, we did have the odd disco and I remember the first senior school we did country dancing and had parties involving lots of dancing... I wasn’t bullied at that school...
I left 2 terms into my A levels cos I’d had enough, much to my parents disappointment...

[wifey]

We feared the head teachers, they ruled over everything. Any back chat was dealt with by washing mouth out with soap. Smacked backsides in front of parents who were summoned to school to witness them happen. Long walks to school unless you went to a child minder before school began then god help you finding a salted patch of footpath in Winter to get into school. The head teacher reported to the local authority ( local council) any disciplinary issues and knew every doctor in town if you got sick. There was no such thing as an “ allergy friendly” school dinner and if you didn’t pay cash for them you just didn’t get one. School milk bottles were never stored in a fridge in summer you either drank it after register or not at all. God help you if you forgot your PE kid you had to complete the lesson in your underwear even swimming lessons. There were no after school activities clubs once the end of day bell rang everyone cleaned the classroom up and left and only the janitor went back in after 6pm.

[FloridaFairy]

I’m 52 and no one was fined for taking kids out but then not many went... I went twice in June for a week to Devon...
No ‘proms’ ... did have youth club discos when we were at comp ... went to the local rugby club at age 15 to the Friday Night Video Disco ( MTV just became a thing as videos to the music etc) all very exciting lol...
Corporal punishment was there but more as a deterrent... I don’t really remember anyone ‘going to be caned’ ... we had board rubbers thrown at us and the chalk marks were the worst they wouldn’t come out until the weekly wash so if you were thrown at the beginning of the week you carried that ‘telling off ‘ all week..
I was slapped by the pe teacher ... a right stinger across my left upper arm... all because she thought I spat ! When I said that I hadn’t she went ‘oh sorry, thought you did ‘ she wasn’t sorry she slapped me just sorry she got it wrong! Still remember that vividly... didn’t tell my mother for fear I’d get another row lol...
Class sizes were about 30-32 and never any TA only a lab assistant in Chem but that was for setting up equipment ...
we all walked to school in all weathers and you only went to a different school if you moved ... I always used to go home for lunch in primary too ... allowed to walk home and back by myself as there was a lollipop man ... much simpler times

[wifey]

I got canes because the lad sat two seats behind me kept launching spit balls at the blackboard. The teacher was convinced it was me so I got caned five times for it despite my protests. I was also made to do laps around the cross country track for coming in off the hockey pitch with muddy boots .. well it was winter and we had nothing to clean them with ( and the laps didn’t help get them any cleaner quite the opposite). I hated double PE we always had outdoors followed by indoors and then maths and no time to shower. Speaking of gym showers we had male teachers in short shorts watch us shower after swimming or netball practice ..that wouldn’t happen these days😳 Our classes were always around 45 in number unless it was Drama then two classes would merge and pandemonium would erupt our teacher was inept and had no clue how to talk to us it was often like a scene from St Trinian’s in there🤪

[kirstya1973]

Year 12 is the first year of further education. I am 46 and I left in the 5th year which is equivalent to Year 11.
We had no leavers prom, no ofsted reports that I recall, most people went to the local school and didn't have to register like parents do now. We had our attendance monitored by the school but never did we have to request a holiday or get fined for not being their.

[wifey]

Yep we never had a graduation or a prom and we turned out just fine!

[OLS]

Didn't read all 13 pages but I'm 39, we didn't have proms, parents were not fined for taking the kids out of school, homework was given out from primary, we had bottoms smacked and / or had to stand under the clock in the school hall facing the wall for a full lunch / break time if we misbehaved in primary school, we got shouted out and board rubbers thrown at us for being rude / disrespectful / talking in secondary school and we also had to pay for school trips, if you didn't go you didn't pay. It's all a bit silly these days with the "you can't say / do this or that" brigade - obviously some stuff was a step to far in schools and needed curbing a bit but they won't even tell kids off now for fear of what will happen.

[JudgeJ26]

This morning I passed some young girls who attend the same school that I used to go to. Goodness times have changed. When I was at the school, skirts could be no more than an inch above the knee. The skirts I saw being worn this morning barely covered their backsides😳.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by cartoonp

Even though questions is for 45+ anyonre can answer

When we where in schol never had a prom and perants where not fined for taken children out of school and no ofstred am i right in thinking this .

See more...

Yes, that's correct. You could say that things have changed for the better; in celebrating the child's hard work at school with an optional prom, encouraging parents to ensure their children attend school by the means of a small fine, and ensuring the quality of teaching improves by having independent external assessments.

I don't know about you, but having the threat of the cane or board rubbers thrown at you were not good things and I'm very glad to see the back of them. I'm glad that changes mentioned by the OP have been made to improve things.

BTW, I'm not sure how I feel about being called one of the "older generation".

Originally Posted by 400ixl

So is the conclusion that many had an end of year school party but just didn't call it a prom. Inspections did happen, just not published on an internet for public consumption and fines were not a consideration as it was not an issue back then.

Corporal punishment was rife, but has now been banned.

Not sure there is any surprise there really. Just changes with time and international trends influencing the UK as the world has become more connected.

See more...

And, one could add, more civilised?

[DISNEYNIC]

I'm only 41 and remember our head master had a slipper and a cane! And he gave you a sweet and kiss on your birthday! Luckily mine is two days before Christmas so was never there. Also no prom and we were allowed to leave school for the whole of lunch hour.

My kids are locked in school!