Holiday Food/Drink and Teaching Secondary Education in England Circa 1970s
Hi guys,
I've recently been looking into the educational systems and holiday customs of different countries for something I've been working on for awhile. Background and setting under the cut:
Background: My MC's mother would have been born in the mid-50s and raised in the 60s/70s. Marrying an American, she goes to live in America, where her child is born and raised. However, there are times, especially around the holidays, where she prepares food she would have enjoyed in her home country. I was thinking of making her come from London, but other areas, based on the information I receive, are more than welcome! So, here come the questions:
1. What would have been/are popular foods/drinks to have around Christmas/New Year's? I'd Googled some things and answers seemed to depend on individual preference/location, but a few answers were things like stuffed turkey, goose in some instances, and mulled wine, as well as mince pies. Does anyone have any other ones they/their families enjoy most?
On education: My MC's mother will have been a secondary education teacher at the time she and her husband met. However, not being from England, the education system and what she would have needed/what age she would have been when she became qualified to be a teacher are a bit muddied to me. I found a link here: http://www.hp-lexicon.org/essays/essay-british-schooling.html that explains certain particulars in the time period I'm looking at to a non-English audience, but I may be misunderstanding some key things and am looking for clarification.
It says someone in that time period would have been legally required to stay in secondary education until 16, although it was possible to be there until 18. Then if someone wanted to go to university, they took A-levels. University itself lasted 3 years. So, if my MC's mother stayed in secondary education until 16, would she have left university at 19? What would be the path she would have needed to take to become a teacher, and at what approximate age would she have been able to begin teaching?
Any and all help appreciated, and I'm sorry if I've misunderstood anything. Thanks again!
Edit: I also had one more question about what school uniforms would have looked like and at what age(s) they were worn. What did they generally look like? It seems to vary a lot, but what do male and female uniforms usually consist of?
I've recently been looking into the educational systems and holiday customs of different countries for something I've been working on for awhile. Background and setting under the cut:
Background: My MC's mother would have been born in the mid-50s and raised in the 60s/70s. Marrying an American, she goes to live in America, where her child is born and raised. However, there are times, especially around the holidays, where she prepares food she would have enjoyed in her home country. I was thinking of making her come from London, but other areas, based on the information I receive, are more than welcome! So, here come the questions:
1. What would have been/are popular foods/drinks to have around Christmas/New Year's? I'd Googled some things and answers seemed to depend on individual preference/location, but a few answers were things like stuffed turkey, goose in some instances, and mulled wine, as well as mince pies. Does anyone have any other ones they/their families enjoy most?
On education: My MC's mother will have been a secondary education teacher at the time she and her husband met. However, not being from England, the education system and what she would have needed/what age she would have been when she became qualified to be a teacher are a bit muddied to me. I found a link here: http://www.hp-lexicon.org/essays/essay-british-schooling.html that explains certain particulars in the time period I'm looking at to a non-English audience, but I may be misunderstanding some key things and am looking for clarification.
It says someone in that time period would have been legally required to stay in secondary education until 16, although it was possible to be there until 18. Then if someone wanted to go to university, they took A-levels. University itself lasted 3 years. So, if my MC's mother stayed in secondary education until 16, would she have left university at 19? What would be the path she would have needed to take to become a teacher, and at what approximate age would she have been able to begin teaching?
Any and all help appreciated, and I'm sorry if I've misunderstood anything. Thanks again!
Edit: I also had one more question about what school uniforms would have looked like and at what age(s) they were worn. What did they generally look like? It seems to vary a lot, but what do male and female uniforms usually consist of?