School History

R. A. Butler

Aug 3, 1944

Creation of system of grammar schools, secondary modern schools and technical colleges. Technical college vision never fully materialises.

10/65 Circular

Jul 12, 1965

Paper published calling for the abolition of grammar schools. Not applied by most Local Education Authorities.

Born

Feb 20, 1966

I was born in Wolverhampton, at the Women's Hospital now West Park Hospital.

Plowden Report

Jan 1, 1967

Child centred education. Calls for establishment of First, Middle and High Schools. Transitions at 8 and 12 years of age. My schools adapt to this arrangement, whilst I am in the middle school.

Start First School

Mar 23, 1971

I start Moat Hall Infants School, Great Wyrley. Reading was performed using ITA (Initial Teaching Alphabet) - an early type of phonics. Very confusing as some words are re-spelt and new letters are invented. Unfortunately school has since burned down.

Start Middle School

Sep 1, 1973

Go straight into 2nd year of junior school, Moat Hall Junior School as an experiment (later changes name to Middle School). All children in experiment complete whole year again as experiment is dropped. School years re-organised so spend 6 years in this school.

Start High School

Sep 1, 1979

Enter Great Wyrley High School at 13 years of age. Take 'O' levels at 16, 'A' levels at 18. Examining boards are mostly Joint Matriculation Board, with some Associated Examining Board.

Education Act (Special Needs)

Oct 30, 1981

Schools required to give attention to pupils with Special Needs.

'O' Levels

Aug 23, 1982

I complete my 'O' levels. All exams based on two years' work, apart from Social Studies which is the only one which is course work assessed.

'A' Levels

Aug 23, 1984

I complete my 'A' levels. All exams based on two years' work, apart from Geography 10% coursework.

Graduate University of Bradford

Jul 23, 1988

Studied Electronics and Control Systems Engineering B.Eng. at University of Bradford. Tuition fees paid by Staffs County Council. Also means tested grant for living costs, no need to pay back.

GCSE and National Curriculum

Jul 29, 1988

'O' levels and CSE exams are combined into GCSE exams. National Curriculum is created.

Student Loans

Apr 26, 1990

Student loans introduced, for maintenance only.

Tuition Fees

Aug 13, 1998

Tuition fees introduced.

Academies Act 2010

Jul 27, 2010

Schools encouraged to become academies with finances supplied from central government. Schools given greater financial autonomy, including setting teachers' wages.