Letter: Time to look ahead – it's no use trying to turn the clock back

When Britannia ruled the waves and when being British meant something (even to China) and when'Johnny Foreigner' minded his 'P's & Q's'.

My MP said once, "You can't put the clock back, we have to move on."

I went to a comprehensive school during the 1970s. Grammar schools in our area had just been abolished. However we were still streamed.

I wasn't in the top tier, but got promoted to it a year later. A snobby attitude was evident. The Harry Enfield Black Country line 'I'm (or my dad is) incredibly richer than yow/yours'. The cut of the blazer mattered.

Naughtiness was equal to all grades of the school. The 'crimes' committed were read out in assembly, particularly heinous wrong doings saw the perpetrators named and shamed.

I remember one incident where a bright boy had paid to get into the school disco, made his way to the toilets to open the window so his friends could get in for free, fine and dandy until one boy got stuck!

Another couple of high flyers accessed the school store room, 'Psst....exercise books going cheap'. When they were found out we all got to hear of it.

The GCE results of 1976 showed 'upper' stream boys and girls pretty much recording the same amount of passes as the hoi -polloi.

Obviously there were exceptional pupils, but not many. None became 'household' names. Would that have been the case in a secondary modern school? CSEs had become all the rage. CSE is now a derided certificate , even a Grade I which was supposed to be the equivalent of an O Level pass.

I think it would be unfair to categorise 11 year olds at that tender age of life mapped out as a 'blue' or 'white collar' worker, the employers and employees, the almost born to fail scenario, all based on one exam and over a few days in summer.

I know a 13 plus examination existed, my dad didn't and remained a 'secondary modern boy' all his working life with the stigma attached.

On occasion I'm sure it held him back in the onward and upward stakes. Maybe he knew his place, is that how it should be?

P Dodd, Bridgnorth