Figure 1.--

I started at a state secondary when I was 11 years old going on 12. I was not, however, very happy there so my parents transferred me to a day prep school and then I began to board. My brother and I often were in the same schools, but he began to board at a prep school before I did, so we were separated for a few years. This is a little complicated, because a British prep school is really a school that includes the later primary and early secondary years. I will include my time at the prep schools as part of my secondary years as I began at the prep schools a year after I had started at the state secondary. Prep schools were beyond the ability of our parents to afford, but the Government had a program to assist with the tuition for service personnel.

My Brother's School

The prep boarding school my brother went to was in North Yorkshire not too far from some of our relatives. Where we were moving to with this latest posting was also relatively close to him but none of us knew that when he started. He had one hell of a surprise when his uniform arrived because at 12 he was back in school shorts, long grey socks and the worst bit in his opinion a school cap. The epitome of traditional school uniform right through to the regulation coat. He was always more fashion conscious than me. Probably because he was older but I remember him having a complete strop about why he had to wear shorts and “that silly bloody hat”. I’m sure he went to bed early with a sore backside and empty stomach that night. He did look really smart when he did try it all on and I think he was really pleased with himself apart from the cap so long as his mates on camp didn’t know. I remember be chased all over by him under pain of death and a good thumping because I kept taking the P out of him over the cap. What he did like though was the fact that there was a No1 and No2 uniform so he only had to wear the formal stuff on certain days and occasions and the rest of the week it was just shorts, open collared shirt and a pullover. Although a few kids from 7 up boarded it really was not that common until either 11 or 13 which marked the end of Primary and the start of senior independent boys schools. Senior indpendent girls schools started at 11. At a guess there were about 15 percent away boarding but I don’t really know the numbers; just that there were a lot more older kids about during the holidays. I know there were two other boys at his school from the camp as they would sometimes travel with us when we dropped Shane off or picked him up. One was about Shanes age and the other a few years older. They all wore shorts as part of their uniform and had to be in full uniform when arriving or leaving. Sometimes we stopped in a motorway service station so they could change on the way back but they usually didn’t bother, ice cream being more important.

Local State Secondary (1977-78)

After primary I went to the local secondary school. It was only to last a year (following the trend of my brother) as I really did not like it and was bullied but I can vividly remember the excitement and anticipation about moving on to the ‘big’ school. I was 11. My Parents took us shopping towards the end of the Summer Holidays to get my new uniform and buy Shane some new kit. This was going to be my first proper school uniform and I was very excited about it and being ‘older’. The uniform comprised of Navy Blue school trousers and Blazer, White shirt with blue and yellow banded tie, grey socks and black lace up shoes. The new school was huge in comparison to what I was used to and a lot rougher and tougher. On our first day we went on a tour in small groups and when we arrived at our Housemasters office he told us his name, showed us his collection of different canes, said he hoped none of us would ever meet any of them again and sent us on our way. It certainly struck terror into me. Teachers had whacked you across the back of the head, thrown board rubbers or given you a smack across the legs or your backside but I’d never known the slipper or cane. Shane had told me how those hurt and stung and I was more than happy to take his word for it. I don’t know whether the PE staff in the 70s had special teacher training or were simply getting their own back for their own school days but they were a breed apart. Unless you were very sporty they were out to kill you or at the least make your pathetic little life as miserable as possible. None of the fun and encouragement we have today. Some of them were just plain mean, nasty, evil and verging on sadistic… or so I as a little boy believed.

School Change

By the end of my first year at the local state secondary it was obvious I was not enjoying it and my school work had suffered so it was discussed about my joining my brother although he would be in the 6th Form. I was not too happy at the prospect of being a boarder even though my brother raved on and on about it, how it was so much fun, all the things he got up to and could do etc. What was eventually decided was that I would attend a boys only boarding and day prep school on the other side of town as a day boy, try boarding on occasional nights and see what I thought.

Assisted Places

The only reason why Shane and I managed to get a private education was down to the RAF grant and Government Assisted Places scheme. I had a year at Day Prep but I later found out that hd been mostly paid for by one of my relatives. Shane had all of his paid for but as a day brat my parents had to pay but my Uncle and Aunt who are still veherment anti-comprehensive must have sorted something with my parents. there was no intention for me to follow Shane into boarding but on reflection I think there may have been some family 'plot'. As it turned out, fortunately for me.

Day Prep School (1978-79)

As I was so unhappy at the local state secondary school, my parents moved me to a prep school. There were both day nd boarding students, but I attended as a day student. Prep schools commonly offer classes for boys from about 8-13 years of age. As I was 12 going on 13, I was placed in the last year upper form. Just as with Shane, after years of wearing long trousers to school, I was back in shorts year round. I can’t say that I minded as I wore shorts at home nearly all the time and only wore trousers for school or playing out in the Winter. My uniform was more formal than his as I had trutex type grey shorts, blue shirt (sleeves rolled up in Summer), two tone blue and silver tie with the school crest on, grey v neck jumper with two blue lines around the v and grey knee length socks with two blue bands (these had to be worn with elastic garters to keep them from slipping down) and polished black shoes. What I did not like was having to get the bus each day and being one of only a couple of boys (all attending my school) wearing shorts when all the others going to other schools, including juniors, were in longs. The late 70s and early 80s were the height of very short and tight fitting shorts and I was self conscious about wearing them walking to and from the bus stops and on the bus as people, especially other children would stare, at least they appeared to be staring. The PE kit was exactly the same except it was a different rugby top with light and dark blue quarters and plain dark blue socks. I wish I had attended the school earlier as I really enjoyed it there and had some good friends and teachers. A couple of the boys went to the same senior school as me. I did not board very often and when I did it was usually when my father was away on detachment. It wasn’t the greatest experience but being able to stay with my friends and have others to play with was really good.

Independent Boarding School (1979-84)

At 13 I joined Shane as a full-time boarder. He was in the Upper Sixth but it was good to have him about even if he preferred to avoid me. Our school was one of the very last to give way to fashion and let senior boys, even those in the Sixth Form wear longs. Fortunately for me the school cap Shane had hated so much was now reserved soley for the lower end of the Prep. There were the two school uniforms. When I became a senior boy we were able to wear different jackets to the younger boys but otherwise the uniform remained pretty much the same. Shorts were only done away with for the seniors and sixth-form when there was a change of Headmaster about 3 years after I left. We had a Scout troop at the School. I never had the opportunity to be a Cub, but I participated in the Scout program. There were several sets of sports kit depending upon whether you were playing rugby, hockey, cricket, athletics, running or doing pe. There was a lot of sports every day and matches most Saturdays. The dorms varied in size depending upon what year you were in and what house. Early bedtimes and early rises sometimes with an unwelcome morning run if the housemaster or prefects thought we had been noisy or late the night before. Running around the main buildings in just a pair of shorts and your pumps is enough to wake anyone up and persuade you to go to sleep on time when there is snow on the ground – take my word for it. I survived school and enjoyed most of it immensely. A lot of memories flooding back as I’ve put together these assorted notes, happily most really good ones.

Shane and I

I was talking to Shane today and asked him a couple of questions about school and uniform. Using the typical questions which get asked (neither of us felt we were sent away but people always seem to assume that is the case for some reason). I've given his replies and then given my response. May be of interest, maybe not but I've thrown a few lines together. They provide a good idea of what Shane and I thought about our boarding experiences.

Created: 6:50 PM 3/28/2007
Last updated: 11:57 PM 4/7/2007