Crash, apologies for the lengthy explanation so stay with me on this but, what you've asked has allowed me to finally get something off my chest as regarding schooling and qualifications. I don't think qualifications get you anywhere now other than recognition that you may present as a bright spark on paper. How many kids are out there today that have degrees and can't get the job they dreamed of doing, for the qualifications they had worked so hard for and proudly own?
For me, it's all about having the confidence to speak, use your intelligence, show maturity in order to showcase yourself and to be ready and willing to learn life skills and hands on training given. This I feel beats paper qualifications any day of the week. Having said that my two children, and I still see them as that, even though they are grown adults as one is almost 40 and the other 26, have achieved amazing qualifications and excelled in their employment roles.
I was an immensely bright child and thrived at Junior school. When I left at 11 years of age I took the set government exam and could read as good as a 16 year old and had a good understanding of both Maths and English by the standards set then. I started my Comprehensive schooling and again I excelled so much, I was taken, mid term, out of the 2nd placed class and put in the top class, that's where it all started to go wrong. To put it blunt I had a b.astard of a teacher and she had it straight in for me, why I'll never know.
One thing I recall about her most was her breath! Ashtray fag stinking with the overtures of strong coffee after the end of the first break, it made me want to gip.
All started one day when she went around the class asking whose parents did what for a living. Finally it was my turn to speak, and as I attempted to explain I was from a single parent family and my mum held down three jobs in order to raise her four kids, she shot me down in flames citing I was the only one in 'her' classroom not to come from a married solid family, I could have curled up and died there and then. The embarrassment was awful as I felt everyone was staring at me and, being only only 14 years of age at the time, I just wanted the ground just to open up and swallow me whole.
Things got even worse when the next day she singled me out for not having a school badge on my council supplied school uniform. I explained that a badge was the price a loaf of bread in our household and, as long as I wore a school tie depicting the Spurley Hey colours, I couldn't see what the problem was. Whoosh! I was frogmarched straight out of the class down to the Deputy Heads room to explain my insolence and disgusting rude behaviour??? I didn't get a word in as she ranted on and on about how she wanted me out of her class, as I wasn't to 'her' standards'. She got her way and I was removed back down to class 2.2.
Sometimes I could not avoid her, as each teacher held certain classes we had to attend. Spanish was her class and whenever there was anything required answering, she always finger pointed me out to answer and when I couldn't give the answer, I was ridiculed for it. Some of my classmates asked why she always picked on me, I sadly couldn't say why. I use to dread knowing that at least twice a week I had to attend her lessons.
All of a sudden I started to hate school, so much so I started to wag it big style. It was so easy to do when you knew that you didn't have your own teacher for any lessons during certain days of the week. I just attended in the morning and got my mark and then just simply walked out of the school gates for the day. Proper disillusioned, this went on for months until one day when I went home my Mum had a screaming duck fit at me as the 'school bobby' as she was known, was also sat there waiting to speak to me. Result was, my poor Mum got a fine for not sending me to school but, she did in all her innocence. I felt bad about that so promised I'd go back and try to buckle down.
I became embroiled in woodwork and metalwork and seemed to excel in both scoring great marks in every lesson, exam etc. The only GCE I left school with was in woodwork, I didn't get my grade for metalwork as I had wagged too many classes! Once again I started not to like attending school. How I got through the last two years I cannot recall other than to say the wagging started again but, and I didn't attend school to take any other exams so was marked as not achieved. Maybe I should have as I was still very bright in English, Science, Geography and Art. I was though there for the last day of leaving and boy did I enjoy that! We had a two day career invitation attendance from the Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy along with a few other business people. Some lads signed up but neither was for me.
As we all mingled for the day who do I come across with a lovely teacher beside her but the b.astard witch herself. I can still recall the moment as if it was yesterday. Off she started, 'Mrs Brier do you know this individual, he will amount to nothing', she stood there posturing hands on her hips. I stood there thinking do I smack her in the mouth now and make a run for it?
Mrs Brier being the nice lady she was, expressed she always found me a pleasant young man and couldn't understand what she meant. The look on her face, Mrs Judge was her name, and it f****** well suited her as she thought she was the top dog.
'I don't suppose you will have any employment to go to after leaving school and will just be a drifter?' she sniggered. Boy was I waiting for this moment, I had had took enough s.hit off this bitch for almost 3 years on and off (wagging).
Actually, we were allowed in our last month at school to attend interviews for work but, had to return to school the same day if your interview had been completed and there were still schooling hours left in the day to attend your last lesson, most of us didn't. I had managed by the support of my woodworking teacher, Harry King bless him, to gain employment at Knowles Woodworking on Fitzwilliam Road.
I couldn't contain myself any longer!! In a raised voice off I went, 'Actually I have TWO jobs and I start my Woodworking Apprenticeship on Monday in two days time. My other is a weekend job at DC Cook's tyre and exhaust fitters'. I didn't explain the details to her, this was just menial tasks of fetching stock and making a brew for the staff, sweeping up etc, not bad for a tenner a day though! I'd not finished, 'and while I think about it, you foul smelling fag ash coffee breath stinking witch, you are the one who ruined my school days!'
There, i'd finally got off my chest what I had wanted to say to her and boy did that feel good!
You could have stuffed a golf ball in her gob! I can still recall her bright red mush as I type. She didn't know where to put herself as Mrs Brier smirked looking at the floor, . School, I can honestly say I could have and should have excelled there but for that F****** witch.
Said it was a long story but recalling all of that made me a stronger better person on leaving school. I had a thorough interview for my Apprenticeship and was questioned why I had no more qualifications. I said I had a lot to offer as a young man and was willing to listen, learn and put in to practice what I would been shown. I got the job.
Fast forward my work career.
Left woodworking and went into:
Mens Retail
British Rail
Coalminer
HGV Class 1 driver
Currys as a part time Salesperson. Up the ladder to Assistant Manager then finally becoming a Store Manager with a staff of 25 turning over £3,000,000 a year. Transferred to the Customer Contact Centre as a Team Manager until retiring on 1st Oct 2019.
Mortgae - nil
Debt - nil
Decent savings.
Good enough pension to get by on.
Holiday abroad exceptionally well, when there's no restrictions.
Have I survived and had a great life leaving school without exams? Yes I have!
Times are different nowadays you can't just walk out of one job into another like you could back in the 70's. I really feel for all the hard working t.eenagers out there who have studied extremely hard to achieve the grades they have, well done to all of them.