King Henry VIII Grammar School

You're right there MisterD-Di, up at the time of my leaving that great seat of learning, (1974) half term for all three terms was a mere two days. Some schools nowadays have two weeks for half term!

Talking of state schools, I seem to remember that they got "spud bashing" holidays not sure whether it was one or two weeks in the Autumn to help the war effort to get the potato harvest in. This was during the war and I think continued afterwards. Grammar bugs didn`t seem to get it. Although I do seem to remember when I arrived from evacuation in 1947, they still had a "dig for victory" plot, attended by two young fellows who I was told were pupils who had been "kept on"

Returning to the subject of Houses and the abolition of KIngs House so as to reduce the number to four. I wonder what it was like to be a member of Kings in the year when it was adjudged the loser. Would you feel somewhat ashamed, or would you be jumping up and down, congratulating yourself on bringing about its demise? If it was me, I'd be fist pumping when the announcement was made. I was in Kings and, heck, it would have been a relief not to have to go and stand in that Metalwork Room again. The conventional belief, perhaps, would be that everyone would be doing their utmost to save their House. Whereas I could imagine a fierce competition taking place amongst some pupils to finish them off, once and for all. And KIngs won. Good on them. Of course, the alternative would have been to increase the number of Houses from five to eight. Thus, for sport, there would be quarter finals, semis and a final. (Although they could have operated a league system with five, whereby each House played the others, and the team that finished last were awarded the trophy. Or should that be first?) There could then have been nominations for names of the three new Houses. Say, for instance, adopting the name of popular former teachers. That would be the short list to end all short lists. But for instance, by many testimonies, the physics teacher, Light, was well regarded; so if he won, one of the new ones would be called Light House. Then there could be one for all the miscreants and troublemakers. Dog House. What with all the new Houses, there might be a problem finding rooms to accommodate them. Perhaps they would have to make use of the lavatory in the sort of quadrangle area. I can't readily think of an appropriate name for this House, but I'm sure it will come to me. Or one could be named after a notable ex-pupil. For example, Larkin House, or Duckham House. Or my particular favourite - Debee House. Of course, the problem is that you start to run out of House colours for ties. I don't know whether that tradition still continues. You would probably have to make use of orange, purple and pink. A bit gaudy perhaps, when put together, but that didn't prevent my Grandmother from knitting me a Christmas jumper using them as predominant colours. Okay, so they were leftover bits of wool she had in her basket, but even so. Santa in purple? Rudolph the pink nosed reindeer? It's not on. Ah, well. Bygones.

I remember learning French with the text book being 'Le Francais d'Aujord'hui', featuring the life and times of the Bertillon family. From memory, Monsieur Bertillon was a douanier at Orly Airport who wore a kepi and fumed son pipe. There were two children, Philippe et Marie-Claude, maybe a third, plus a chien. Whilst working for one company, we had a social gathering with employees of a French customer and this was the only occasion that I had the need to utilise my O level French. I had no idea what they were saying to me, so I tried to instigate a conversation which would give rise to a 'Oui' or 'Non' response. "

Last night, I checked out the current website of the school and amongst its aims it has 'respect for the opinions, beliefs and needs of others' , so I think there is definitely a possibility that they will be receptive to this concept. I also read that 'the school is a caring partnership of young people, their parents and staff. It aims to develop to the full the potential of its students, in order that they may lead rich and responsible lives both as individuals and as members of society.' It sounds very much like a school that I would have really liked to attend. (In theory, anyway. I probably would still have lamented the end of the summer holidays.) What a shame we got the 'Boot Camp' version of education. They even have a Psychology Department now, can you believe? The Head of the Department suggests, as an introduction to the subject, reading the book entitled "The Man Who Shocked The World: The Life and Legacy of Stanley Milgram". Milgram, as you probably know, became famous as a result of his experiments and studies of conformity to authority. This is recommended reading at the school?! Wowza!!! The times they have a-changed. I knew my silent protests would work!

During my two 'O Level' years, I had to do a year of re-sits, you only did subjects you were doing as 'O Levels', so no internal exams and you didn't need to go back into school after Whitsun apart from your exams. Beesman is wrong about half terms as we seem to have been there about the same time and we definitely got a week in Autumn and the Spring term and only 3 days at Whitsun. I wonder if the introduction of girls is what led to the demise of the sporting prowess of the school, not a large enough pool to choose from.

Did the girls have their own gender sports or were they mixed?

I have no idea Roger as I left in the Summer of '75 and girls started that September, but I doubt it. I'll ask my brother who moved up from the Juniors that year. I wonder what they did about changing rooms? The ones for the gym were too small to be separated I imagine.

I am absolutely certain that while I was there we only had two days for half term. It was quite an issue for some of us whose friends were at the comprehensives that had a week. A few kids were always off for the whole week because their parents took them on holiday - no 'fines' then. Walker actually raised it in assembly because he was not happy about that, but there wasn't much they could do then. He said that he was required to provide 200 days schooling per year but even with 2-day half terms they were still only at 197. I'm sure he wrote to the parents concerned, which didn't apply to me as mine never took holidays.

The 2015/16 Term Dates Calendar makes an interesting read in comparison

Di-Di, I don't know when you were there but I know for sure that we had a week for half term during my time there, '69-'75. For example in the Autumn half term in '72 a group of us went to the Lake District with Geoff Courtois, Chris Holland and Doc Greatorex, going up there on the Sunday and coming back on the Thursday. An interesting trip. We stayed in a scout hut above Derwent Water, not far from Keswick. Gas wall lights, triple bunks, a small kitchen and no loo. We were meant to go and dig a hole and crap in there. Not for me, I used to make them take me into Keswick in the morning so I could take care of my ablutions. Good walking though if incredibly wet the first two days, and an incredibly beautiful sunny day on the Wednesday when we did Helvellyn.

Not having kids, what are years 7 and 12?

During the period of my attendance at KHVIII, namely 1967 to 1974, half term holiday was two days, a fact confirmed by Mr D-Di who attended over a slightly earlier timespan. 30-15 Bags, your serve....

Easy, I'm right and you're wrong.

I can throw my titfer into the ring on the half term case, defo 2 days! Regarding the trip to the lakes, I went in 72 on a trip organized by the Droob, to the Munich Olympics, all the way there in his landrover. We were accompanied by Peter Carey, don't think he was attached to the school, but an acquaintance of the Droob via athletics as his wife Sheila was running in the 1 mile (I think) for GB Eventful trip for many reasons, but most of all going with Peter to meet his wife in the Olympic village to find it ringed by police with machine guns, the start of the Israeli hostage situation. Later that night we were rousted out of our campsite in a farmers field (cheapskate Droob's idea) by the police, because we were right next to Furstenfeldbruck airfield where the final firefight took place and the terrorists and hostages met their fate. My mum was a little concerned cause I had just sent her a postcard a couple of days before saying where we were and then this all came on the news! Fantastic trip though despite Droob and his tantrums! Can't remember the other pupils that came though.