Kingscote sixth form

[chezzachez.livejournal.com]

I've been puzzled as to whether the sixth at Kingscote is one year or two. I think that in FL it says that Rowan is going to miss two years of school; but then Jan Scott in CT is, I think, referred to as having been in teams with Rowan and the sixth with Kay. And surely Lois was in the upper fifth with Rowan, but then stays on, but just for one year? Can anyone shed any light?

Comments

[hooloovoo_42]

Didn't Lois end up going to Bedford to train as a PE teacher? Teaching back then wasn't a graduate profession and probably didn't actually need A levels to get into. There was more likely an age requirement to start the course.

Being in "the 6th" wasn't differentiated so much back then. Although it was a 2 year course to A level, the terms upper and lower weren't so much used. My mum just talks about first, second and third year 6th (she went to grammar school a year early and did 3 years in the 6th form so she was the right age to do A levels).

[thekumquat.livejournal.com]

The Chalet School in the similar era refers to girls staying at school until they are 17 and can go to Bedford.

Also possibly not all the girls at Kingscote would be entered for A-levels, if they weren't planning on going to university, so might simply stay until they turned 18.

[penguineggs.livejournal.com]

That would work, except that she is taking 'A' levels - her absence on exams is one of the factors which frees up spaces in the swimming team for Ginty and Monica.

I think it's what in Harry Potter circles is known as a "Flint" (after the character who ends up spending three years in the Sixth at Hogwarts) where one character doesn't age at the same rate as their compatriots.