ABSTRACT
Age stereotyping has meant that adults beyond the age of 55 or more are often banded together as a homogeneous group; their increasing years proportionately associated with decreasing mental and physical capacities along with poverty and isolation (Bradley, 1996). In terms of educational policy the post retirement ages have been largely ignored (Carlton and Soulsby, 1998). Furthermore, initial educational achievement for present day older adults is not easily distinguishable by social class. Most people, irrespective of social background did not go to university during the 1940s, particularly if they were women.
