Yes, it may have been the place you forged lifelong friendships and learned how to unlock the mysteries of the world.
But for many children, it was also where they encountered bullying, public humiliation and daily drudgery.
If you grew up in the 60s and 70s, there are some things you almost certainly don’t miss about going to school back then.
Below are some of the things that can still send a shiver down the spine of anyone who attended school at the time.
How many of these do you remember, and what are your worst memories of your school days?
If you’re looking for more nostalgia from your childhood, you might like this look back at what made up the perfect weekend in the 60s and 70s.
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5. Flying chalk dusters
Before digital displays or whiteboards, most schools had blackboards, and some teachers weaponised them. If you drifted off in class, the teacher might get your attention by scraping their fingers across the board, making the worst sound known to humankind. Worse still, they might lob one of the heavy chalk dusters your way, and those things could do some damage. | Getty Images Photo: Keystone View/FPG
6. Cross country in the winter
You had to be some sort of masochist to enjoy cross country in the winter. Not only did you have to endure the bitter cold, but your trainers would end up caked with mud, and the tepid, communal showers did little to restore the feeling to your frosty toes. | Other Photo: Other
7. Music and Movement
Do you remember the BBC school radio series Music and Movement? A plummy voice would command pupils to sway like a tree or run like a horse, in time to the strains of classical music. Some children loved it, but many have less fond memories. | Getty Images Photo: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive
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8. 'Frogspawn' for school dinner
School dinners weren't all bad in the 60s and 70s. Many children have fond memories of chocolate concrete in pink custard. But tapioca, nicknamed frogspawn due to its unappealing texture, was less popular. It was voted the most-hated school meal in a poll, pushing overcooked cabbage into second spot. | Getty Images Photo: Peter Trulock/Fox Photos/Hulton Archive