[richardjdare]

I failed my 11 plus and ended up at a high school where they didn't even tell us about university. At school, I found bullying and sadistic teachers completely overwhelmed the educational aspects; my only goal was to get through each day without being hassled.

The only circumstances where I would consider supporting streaming would be if it was continuous, and people could move between streams at any point in their education.

Putting all emphasis on a single test, taken on a single day at age 11 is like something out of the hunger games. I still recall breaking down in tears when my headmaster called out "Time's up!" at the end of my 11 plus. I knew I hadn't done very well.

Now I am a professional programmer (the only non-graduate in the company), shipped video games on my own, and have had writing published, so obviously the education system's estimate of my abilities was far from accurate.

[yung_steezy]

My partner is from Essex and I thought she was kidding when she said she did the Eleven Plus. We learnt about it in high school history class in Scotland! The module was on the foundations of the British Welfare state and it was discussed as a barbaric practice from the past.

[twic]

There's a reason it has long been abandoned by all but the most backwards counties!