She is making a little joke. The previous system of free education in Britain involved Grammar schools and Secondary moderns. There was an exam at the age of 11 (the '11 plus').
If you passed, you were sent to a 'Grammar' school and got subjects like latin etc. The exams were Ordinary (O) levels at age 16, and Advanced (A) levels at age 18. Ordinary Wizarding Level is clearly a reference to the 'O level'. If you failed, you were sent to a 'Secondary Modern' and got practical subjects like woodwork (boys) and typing (girls). The exams were 'Certificates of Secondary education (CSE). Comprehensive schools abolished selection. Everybody gets the same education and the exams. If I understand it correctly, her joke is based on the fact that she has invented class based world. There are muggles and there are wizards. Selection is inherent in such a world. It would not make much sense to send muggles and wizards to the same school. Harry was selected for wizard schooling at around the same age as selection in the old system. -- Terry Simpson Human Factors Consultant Connected Systems Ltd > From: Howard Ressel [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > I stand corrected then. I didn't get that from the context and its not a > term I have heard of on this side of the pond. > > > >>> "Terry Simpson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 10/07/03 11:31AM >>> > Howard Ressel wrote: > >"Naturally, there are no wizard comprehensives." > > > >Not true. At the end of their 5th year each student takes toe > >O.W.L.'s (Ordinary Wizarding Level) I believe there is also a > >N.E.W.T. exam (or some such thing) at higher leves. > > A 'comprehensive' is a type of school, not a type of exam.
