Oxford/Cambridge University School

[Hymie]

While watching BBC breakfast TV this morning, they had a student on – who I think was attending the Woolwich Polytechnic School (he looked about 13 years of age).

I mentioned this to a colleague at work – and he commented, how long will it be before some entrepreneur opens a school called either the Oxford or Cambridge University School – allowing their students to claim that they have attended Oxbridge University?

[buildersmate]

Surely this sort of thing has been going on for ages.
For example, Oxford Brookes University is the former Oxford Polytechnic.

[bednobs]

Agreed. i went to univrsity in Oxford.
Just because it was a poxy part time course at Oxford brookes uni, dosen't take away fro the fact i went to university in Oxford

[Lil O'lady]

Over the years I've met a number of people claiming to have been at Durham Uni, who were actually on 'poxy part time course' aka 'accessible degree courses' at Newcastle poly, whose degree certificates were issued by Durham Uni.
What was that bloodhound's degree in the cartoon strip? - something like B.Ed Calcutta (failed)
You can buy all sorts of degree certificates if you look around. BUT that doesn't mean that more recently-established courses aren't offering valid degrees. After all, the University of Bolton......ooooh titter ye not.

[Hymie]

I don’t think that there are any bona-fide polytechnics left in the UK (but I could be wrong).

All were offered the option to become universities, with the need to provide places for 50% of school leavers. And no doubt the government offered a financial incentive, such that it was a proposition they could not refuse.

Now we have further education establishments that are either colleges, teaching what you should have learnt at school, or universities - with nothing in between.

I wonder how many students at Woolwich Polytechnic School, will mention in a job interview, or to peers, that they attended a polytechnic.

[Hymie]

Lil O’lady – forgot to mention that when Newcastle Poly became a university, they proposed the name - Central University of Newcastle upon Tyne. But decided to drop the word ‘Central’, for some reason.