For some reason &*&%^! LJ isn't letting me respond directly to to your post, so I hope this posts as a new thread!

My brother went to the local tec and is now a senior social worker.

Fwiw I would say that I am both bright and academic as the six lots of letters from four unis after my name these days would testify, but grammar, especially with the personal issues I was dealing with at the time (including being abused by one of the teachers in said august institution) just wasn't the way to go- Working for four years then being accepted as an undergrad on merit was...................