School life, between the linesBy Eleven Plus Diary
School stories, admissions adventures, and the things parents talk about on the way home.
School portraits · Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire
St Chris in Letchworth has a pupil democracy over a hundred years old. My house has a whiteboard, and as of last month a family council.
School portraits · Boston, Lincolnshire
Every December a Lincolnshire grammar school reopens a cattle market that moved out in the 19th century. The cattle are not invited.
School portraits · Sleaford, Lincolnshire
A grammar school in Sleaford runs a Warhammer club and hands out a trophy for good manners in battle. In our house, the war has been going less graciously.
School portraits · Edinburgh
In 1956 the radio club at George Watson’s College could reach the far side of the world. Its own former pupils were proving harder to raise, and so is my son, who is upstairs.
School portraits · Bristol
Badminton School’s science outreach girls explain physics to audiences from infants to physics teachers. Our daughter tried it on the kitchen table.
School portraits · Bath, Somerset
A head near Bath had pupils write their own school reports. I read the idea aloud at supper to mock it, and by pudding we had adopted it.
School portraits · Dulwich, London
The garden club at James Allen’s Girls’ School turns its weeds into drinks. I spent Sunday putting mine in the brown bin.
School portraits · High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Wycombe Abbey runs a family tree made entirely of pupils, and once a year the whole thing turns out for House Dance. Ours turns out on FaceTime, facing the ceiling.
School portraits · Manchester and the Lake District
Manchester Grammar School stops lessons for a week each summer and sends hundreds of boys to camp. The old boys remember it in unusual detail.
School portraits · Kent
At Benenden only the final year may scoot round the site. In our house the eldest has asked for the same rights, and fewer of the duties.
School portraits · London
City of London School for Girls settles its new Year 7s with a Chocolate Biscuit Club. I tried the same thing on the new Year 7 parents, and overcatered.
School portraits · Edinburgh
In 1956 a first-year at George Heriot’s could see Edinburgh’s One O’Clock Gun from his biology lesson, if he leaned. I have now missed it from much closer.
