O-levels query

[alliekiwi.livejournal.com]

I was re-reading The Attic Term today and got a little confused as to the period over which Patrick took his O-levels.

For example, a page or two before the end of chapter 10 is the following passage:

~*~*~
Being anything but reckless, Ginty had meant to let at least two weeks go by before phoning Patrick again: and then, on the Monday evening, listening to the other four deciding to play ping-pong in the gym and mentally preparing a plausible Cat-That-Walked withdrawal, remembered that Patrick's O-levels began tomorrow: she ought - she must - phone and wish him luck.
~*~*~

Following that we have half-term which is when Miranda and Tim write the short Christmas carol for Nick to sing etc. Patrick has his half-term the week after Kingscote, and then along comes Chaper 13 and the fateful Maths O-level paper debacle. The chapter starts:

~*~*~
In the summer term, the sitting of O- and A-levels was something of an occasion: Miss Keith announced their commencement during Assembly and wished the candidates well on behalf of the school. But in the winter term, when a mere handful of unfortunates was at risk, the event was hardly mentioned, and it was only because Ginty was sitting-in on the Tutorial fifth's Latin revision that she knew when O-levels would make their delayed start as soon as Patrick did. Telephoning him that evening, she found him depressed and edgy.
~*~*~

Why is Patrick 'starting' his O-levels twice like that?

Comments

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

Nope. In Run Away Home he goes for an interview at a boarding school where they'll make him take proper subjects but they do at least have a Falconry Club.

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

Unless you meant that was the tough school and I'm confused? And I don't know what you mean by a 'tutorial'. In my experience that's a one-hour class with very few students and one professor. How would that help Patrick?

[ex-lizzzar998.livejournal.com]

I meant a London school like Mander Portman Woodward or Collingham, although I think he is mentioned as having private tutoring for Maths in The Thuggery Affair. I thought Patrick might do OK in a tutorial school as he could just concentrate on academics without the rest that he doesn't seem to like so much. I don't have Run Away Home with me but I thought that a scary sounding school was mentioned which said that it might accept Patrick if he's passed his Maths but only to do languages as English and History are 'easy options' or something. Patrick does not expect to pass and does not seem particularly suited to the school despite the falconry. In an Girls' Gone By introduction (which I don't have with me,sorry) Sue Simms said that AF had difficulty with Maths and with languages. Her spelling is also weak in the letter published in The Marlows and Their Maker (as is mine sometimes if I can't be bothered to check).

[ex-lizzzar998.livejournal.com]

I'm sure that Patrick mentions that his preference would be to study English and History on his own in Run Away Home, and he certainly seems to have a genuine interest in them, although I think he could benefit from at least some conventional teaching. His father is pushing the tough school and Patrick appears to have given up fighting about it; he is trying to make the best of things with the falconry club.