statistics? Pass rates?
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expatty
statistics? Pass rates?
Looking for needle in haystack but maybe someone can point me to the right haystack. To make a short story long, my parents left England with my sister and me in 1957 chiefly because at schools in our area (Nelson, Lancs.), especially RC ones, very few children passed he eleven plus and mum & dad weren't willing to take any chances. They didn't want us in the mills. We immigrated to the US. The 50th anniversary of our leaving was 5 April 2007 and I'm surprised how emotional I feel about it. Nevertheless I'm writing an article about our immigration for a faculty magazine at the community college where I teach and decided, as well as saying "few students passed" I might be able to research the pass rates from the mid 1950s. I'd love to get data from my school, St Joseph's RC (worth an email to its successor), but comparison data would be great. Were we really faring as badly as mum & dad believed? How did C of E schols in the area do? See what I mean about haystack? But I'd bet anything these records exist somewhere, if not in plain sight, somewhat close to it. I'd be very grateful for any leads. Thanks.
expatty
expatty
Probably your best bet is the local authority of that date - although I suspect records may not still exist!
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea/leas/lea_888.shtml
Good luck - and keep in touch!
Have you seen the Friends reunited website - I won't put the link as it may be regarded as advertising - you can post details there for free.
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea/leas/lea_888.shtml
Good luck - and keep in touch!
Have you seen the Friends reunited website - I won't put the link as it may be regarded as advertising - you can post details there for free.
Hi Expatty,
This is interesting, my parents lived on the boundary of Nelson and Burnley until 1957 a few years before I was due to take the 11+. I actually attended a CoE primary school although my parents were advised to move me to a larger primary in North Burnley well before the age of 11 as their pass rate was much better!
Few ideas for research:-
Have a good search through the National Archives - they have a lot of material http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Try the archives of few local newspapers (Burnley Express etc)
Probably your best bet is too try looking at the local Grammar School web sites (Burnley Grammar, Colne Grammar etc). They probably have records of the number of pupils and you should be able to calculate the pass ration from the census figures for that period.
You comment about the Mills got me thinking; my aged Auntie (now 95) recalls the fact that she was one of the few to pass the exam for the Burnley Grammar School but wasn't able to take up her place as my Grandparents couldn't afford it. She went to work in for a seamstress instead.
Best of luck
This is interesting, my parents lived on the boundary of Nelson and Burnley until 1957 a few years before I was due to take the 11+. I actually attended a CoE primary school although my parents were advised to move me to a larger primary in North Burnley well before the age of 11 as their pass rate was much better!
Few ideas for research:-
Have a good search through the National Archives - they have a lot of material http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Try the archives of few local newspapers (Burnley Express etc)
Probably your best bet is too try looking at the local Grammar School web sites (Burnley Grammar, Colne Grammar etc). They probably have records of the number of pupils and you should be able to calculate the pass ration from the census figures for that period.
You comment about the Mills got me thinking; my aged Auntie (now 95) recalls the fact that she was one of the few to pass the exam for the Burnley Grammar School but wasn't able to take up her place as my Grandparents couldn't afford it. She went to work in for a seamstress instead.
Best of luck
