In response to the story about students studying (or not studying) material for an English exam and to reassure parents, the same thing happened to an A Level group I was at the old Brighton Grammar School.

The head of English who had prepared us was invigilating the exam when I pointed out that we had not prepared an 18th century novel by Henry Fielding on which there was an obligatory question.

Without looking up or consulting the question paper he said: Do two essays on any of the others.

Some of us got higher marks than expected. I got the top mark anyway, but then I was expected to – so there.

Andy Steer
Windlesham Road
Hove