Mycroft the Engima Part 3 - A Good Old Fashioned Education

[wellingtongoose]

I was captivated by the topic and I decided to explore this issue

• A short explanation of the British education system (and clarify what a public school actually is)
• The origins of the Ice Man or the famous Holmes reserve
• What kind of an education they might have received
• Why Mycroft/Sherlock are unlikely to be “home-schooled”

Comments

[pennypaperbrain]

A drive-by comment as I don't have to read right now... but I also have a meta on Sherlock in the British Education System that adds to the topic: http://archiveofourown.org/works/394267

[anactoria]

One thing you might want to add to this is that GCSEs were not introduced until 1988. So Sherlock probably did them, and possibly John, depending what you think his age is, but Mycroft and Lestrade would have taken O-levels instead.

[sherlockholmes]

I sort of think he isn't -- I mean, given that Sherlock was born January 6th, 1981 -- Mycroft would probably by shy of forty. But it's speculative, etc.

[anactoria]

It's something you might want to bear in mind depending on your headcanon, then. :)

[ankou_chan]

Very quick thing- I'm sure I remember reading in numerous sources that the photograph is of two Harrovians, not Etonians...? I might be wrong.
Good post, by the way!

[wellingtongoose]

Yes you are completely right - I'm off to change the caption!

[dioscureantwins]

This is incredibly helpful to this non-native speaker in her writing. I thank you heartily for it.

[burntcopper]

...I'm seriously glad I haven't read any fic that says they were homeschooled beyond 7. I facepalm way too much and stop reading halfway through so much fic due to not getting the british stuff right (and thus making it completely unrealistic)

added: One thing the public school system also adds is confidence, often to what sounds like the point of arrogance because that's the only way you get your voice heard in class or elsewhere.

(and if they're girls, volume. i went to a very very minor public school and even though we were essentially an exam factory, there is a reason jolly hockeysticks and st trinians are clichés.)