Big Boy wrote: ↑Sun Jun 07, 2020 8:42 am
This does not seem that different to the school system in the UK. We had to qualify for the school we moved to at age 11, and at age 14 we had to make choices based on chosen career path. At my school I think we had a technical stream, a commercial stream and a scientific stream. OK, we stayed at the same school, but our classmates changed considerably. If we didn't achieve the desired academic results at age 14, we were put where there was space, irrespective of our chosen career path.
That's very different to my experience. I assume you meant the 11+ at age 11? That had gone by the time I went to secondary school. My sister took it and failed, but became a teacher despite that and is still teaching now, after having retired so many times. She just can't leave it alone! When I was that age you were only tested if you were seeking entry to a grammar school. That wasn't for me, they only played rugby!
But based on our last year at primary school and an interview at the school applied for, we were graded accordingly and then placed in a class at the appropriate level. This was unique to my school locally, as it didn't really operate a comprehensive system until the start of your 3rd year. And then at age 14 (I think?), where I was, it was just about choosing which subjects you were looking to take your O Levels in, or CSE if useless. I was useless at maths and the sciences, so didn't bother about them. I had no interest anyway.
I had no idea, having taken my O's, whether I was going to stay on or leave. But it turned out that decision was taken out of my hands. I still had no idea what I wanted to do when I finally left.
would have been suffice.
