11+ and 13+ were available in every Education Authority. If the Head didn't believe that pupils were capable of passing the 13+ why would they be told about the opportunity? Any child that was a suitable candidate was above me in age so wouldn't have been missed. He was also aware that even if a child was capable, if the home background wasn't suitable then it wasn't any good offering the 13+. The child would not get the back up as he/she was expected to go out to work so the less time spent in School the better the (usually) father liked it. Especially when there were 10 or more children in the family, we knew several like that.
There were 380 children in the School when I went there, (late 1950s) the Head knew every child's background and every child's name. Uniform rules were strictly enforce and if a child arrived without, then the PE teacher would go to the odds and ends cupboard and find something that almost fitted. At the end of each Summer Term pupils that didn't have younger siblings were asked to donate good quality clothing for such a purpose - can you imagine that happening now?
The Head occasionally taught Class, he would stride in and take over
![Roll Eyes ::)](https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/Smileys/extended/rolleyes.gif)
the Deputy Head had a Class of his own …… now Schools are so large and Heads have to do so much paper work, they have less time - apparently. A 'good' Head of course would know every Member of Staff and every child under his care. My friend sees her Head of School once a year, at the Leaving Day
![Shocked :o](https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/Smileys/extended/shocked.gif)
. There is a hierarchy which means the Head doesn't have to engage
![Undecided :-\](https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/Smileys/extended/undecided.gif)
As for parents 'having a say' in whether more Grammar Schools are made available across the UK; yeah, right. Parents are busy with their own lives and often use Schools as a creche …….. not even bothering to attend Parents' Evenings
![Angry >:(](https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/Smileys/extended/angry.gif)
. Even at Grammar School level.
![sigh :sigh:](https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/Smileys/extended/sigh.gif)
The point of getting rid of the 11+ was to cut out streaming ……. that by mixing abilities it would enable the 'better' children to help those who might be struggling - that didn't pan out then DG?!? …….