A sad state of affairs.

It was even worse in the past.  I was kicked out of a normal school and placed in a 'special school' in 1973.  The year I spent there was an experience I will never forget. 

On my first day I was given responsibility for tomato plants growing in a grow bag near a window.  There was some discussion among the staff wether I should be with the "small boys or the big lads.". It was decided that i was a big lad.  A boy asked me how old I was. I said nine and a half. He started crying that he was ten and still with the small boys.  He never spoke to me again and shunned me.  Some boys were playing table tennis, there was a skinny girl sitting in silence hiding under the table.  She never spoke to anyone the whole year I was there.

Education wise the school had zero worth, no exams, no teaching, no Ofsted inspection,. I learnt to weave baskets.

I only spent one year there, but others were there until the age of 16.  I wonder what their  prospects were when they left.

It was even worse in the past.  I was kicked out of a normal school and placed in a 'special school' in 1973.  The year I spent there was an experience I will never forget. 

On my first day I was given responsibility for tomato plants growing in a grow bag near a window.  There was some discussion among the staff wether I should be with the "small boys or the big lads.". It was decided that i was a big lad.  A boy asked me how old I was. I said nine and a half. He started crying that he was ten and still with the small boys.  He never spoke to me again and shunned me.  Some boys were playing table tennis, there was a skinny girl sitting in silence hiding under the table.  She never spoke to anyone the whole year I was there.

Education wise the school had zero worth, no exams, no teaching, no Ofsted inspection,. I learnt to weave baskets.

I only spent one year there, but others were there until the age of 16.  I wonder what their  prospects were when they left.

Another book I especially like related to all this is The Selfish Society: How We Forgot To Love One Another And Made Money Instead by Sue Gerhardt www.amazon.co.uk/.../1847375715 #TheConfusedSociety