From Junior to Senior.

I was a shy child and never actually shone at anything, which made me even more introverted as I became a teenager.

I used humour as a way of fitting in, and I became the class clown when I was in junior school.

I was small for my age and didn't mature like the other girls. Even as I'm writing this, I can feel my face becoming red and patchy with a sense of embarrassment.

At junior school, I kind of got along without too much trauma but liked to bury my head in a book or lose myself in a work of art I was perfecting.

My best friend Sandra Ward was my saviour; we were very close and giggled our way through life, spending all our free time together and staying at each other's house.

Her Mum was really cool and wore all the latest fashions and didn't fall out with us too much when she copped us trying to buy Consulate Menthol fags (super sophisticated).

I'm guessing most of you know about the school system in the 1970s, but if not, basically, before you went to a senior school, you had to take an exam called "The Eleven Plus."

If you passed, you went to a Grammar school, and if not, you went to a local comprehensive.

Places at the grammar school were very scarce, and it was an honour to go - it wasn't expected that I would pass, being not too bright ( well, that's what I was told).

Of course, my friend Sandra would pass as she was mostly at the top of the class!

We were notified by letter (which I still have), and it said;

"Allocation to Secondary School - Morley Grammar School"

I'm feeling the same excitement now, and my mum and I shrieked and jumped around the house in disbelief.

I promptly dashed out of the house, jumped on my bike and sped off pedalling like a mad woman to get to Sandra's house, where she would be so happy that we were going to the same senior school.

I arrived at her house, dumped my bike and ran up the path to her front door, where her Mum was just leaving - "I've passed - I've passed!" I shouted, full of such joy.

Pat looked straight at me with a serious glare. "I can't believe you have passed, and Sandra hasn't - that doesn't seem right."

She stormed past, slammed the gate, and left me in the garden feeling so dejected and ashamed.

I still remember to this day that feeling of not being good enough and some ruined and difficult years due to the unawareness and angry remarks directed at me as a 10-year-old by somebody that I looked up to.

Nevermind, here I am 50 years later and just about getting over it :)

It doesn't matter if your parents were caring, understanding and kind; there are always going to be people in your world, especially as a child, who are not advanced mentally or spiritually and will cause you trauma without even knowing.

It's just the way it is, and there is always a positive in every negative.