Steve, I wonder why it is you have to twist, or put your own slant, on that which is said?
Were you, and if so, when were you indeed there?
In the Prep Schools of establishments such as Greshams, the pupils were intensively trained in graded exercises of reasoning, Thus, when they partook of the '11 plus', they all passed, except for the idiots.Hence they became County or Foundation Scholars. The actual schooling was at no cost to the parents.