“for chrissakes sqad - those were O levels... I took 9”
You were obviously very bright, Peter. Either that or you went to school after me. When I was at school (and it was a very good school) not many pupils took or gained more than five ‘O’ Levels. A few of the very bright ones gained six or seven. They were usually those forming the majority who went on to Uni. About 10% of all school leavers did so then, about 25%-30% of my school did. I knew of nobody gaining more than that. And that was in the day when there were three separate science exams (Physics, Chemistry and Biology), two maths (Pure and Applied), two Englishes (Language and Literature).
Many of my school’s alumni went on to great things academically and professionally. Four of them went on to form Spandau Ballet. But few of them gained more than five ‘O’ Levels. Things are certainly different today.