"On its own, number 1" - Brighton school places by bingo...

Rasher
Your experience was not unusual. During the era of the tripartite system 75% of children were not afforded a grammar school education. Only 5% attended the rare Technical schools, the vast majority of the population attended secondary modern schools. Provision nationally was varied. Some ares of Wales could provide for 40% of their children to go to Grammar schools. In other areas of the country it was as low as 10%. Girls had fewer Grammar schools than boys. It was therefore harder for a girl to pass the 11 Plus than a boy. It was not until very late in their history that secondary Modern pupils were allowed to sit O levels. Even when they were it never exceeded 10% of the population taking the exams.In 1963, of the Secondary Modern pupils who had managed to take O levels, only 318 took A levels, none went to university. The problem with the 'old' system was the scrap heap that the rest were dumped on whilst the 'elite' went to Grammar schools. The 1963 Newsom Report found pupils in inner London Secondary Modern schools sitting on furniture designed for Primary children, so poorly were they provided for. There are many things wrong with the provision of education in England and Wales today but please let us remember how appalling educational provision was for the majority of pupils in the 50s and 60s.

That's interesting Bob. It was late 70's when it appiled to me, so nothing much had changed by then.
The point still is that schools are pretty good now in comparison, and most importantly, we parents are now aware of school performance and care enough to want our children to go to the right place.