You probably entered KBGS the year after I did, J.F. - although I don't remember you - as we had 6 form entry for our "bulge" year, reduced to 5 the following year (1959) I believe.
Five of us came from Foxhill primary school (Queensbury) that year - Brian Entwhistle and myself (1C), David Kirkbright (1E) and William Simpson and Donald Wright(1F). A further two went to Keighley Tech. Living so far out of Keighley meant that most of our contemporaries who'd passed the 11+ had opted for grammar schools closer to home.
The traumas of that first day probably made a bigger impression on us than most, given our greater isolation. Following the ritual crush in the "dungeon", we were directed into the Gym where, as in your own recollection, Harry Blink read out the names in form order (A to F inevitably!).
I certainly empathise with your sentiments about kids assigned to the lower forms, but I'm sceptical about any claims by the school of equality/mixed ability - no fewer than 7 of us were "promoted" from 1C to 2A, along with a number from 1B, but none (so far as I'm aware) from D,E or F.
Incidentally, quite a number of 1A must have lost their "elitist" status in 1959, unless the class had been unduly small, which I doubt. Can anyone (Allan, Brian, Shaun) shed any light on this, and who some of the displaced individuals might have been? Selfishly, I never gave it (or them) a thought at the time.

Just seen John's post and Alans reply this morning.
Shaun and I met for a drink last night and if we had seen those messages a 'combined effort'; might have elicited names of some who were demoted. Alan is right of course that John was one year below us.
I cannot immediately think of anyone who was in our 1A, that was 'demoted' but since I took the register for a while in 2L1 (The top second year stream)I can still recite the entire form list. From what I remember most of these were in 1A also, though appears to have been an exception. The difficulty is remembering who was in 1A and not in 2L1.

2L1 Kenny Andrews, John Bailey, Richard Battarbee, Mike Bennison,Peter Binns, John Bracewell, Alan Britten, Brian Craven (Have you any ideas Brian?), David Foulger, Brian Goodall, Jim Hall, Kevin Hawkins, John Haygarth, Peter Holmes, Allan Jones, David Labrum, Keith Lowcock, Peter Messenger, Richard Midgley, Brian Moate, David Pamment, Tom Pearson, John Pike, Shaun Pye, Michael Sharpe, Brian Shuttleworth, Keith Sunderland, Bernard Tennant, eric Walton, Alan Wearmouth, ? White, John Whitley, Alan Youngs

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) brianmoate@hotmail.com

The only person I cam recall being relegated to the Nationwide League from 1A was Ian Dable though there must have been more. I succeeded in being relegated to 3S1 in the following season and never regretted it, though I did sometimes envy the wads of cash that some of the former X-stream lads earned when we were in the upper 6th.

Brian Moate seems to have renamed me Allan. Well we were of similar physique, and probably still are! He then asks for Brian Craven's input.
From your 2A list, Brian, which I guess must be complete (containing 33 names as it does), the following were definitely all ex.1C :-
Andrews, Britten, Craven, Foulger, Hawkins, Haygarth and Lowcock.
White; (Was it Philip? - I really ought to know as we were mates that year, having similar outside interests.) He'd transferred at the start of year 2 from a school "down south" (probably London, though I'm told there are other places below The Wash).
Pike joined us, some weeks into the year, I think from Wakefield Grammar, to be followed in Jan.1960 by the Geography teacher A.P.Wilby who immediately recognised Pike in his first lesson.
As for which lads were ex.1B; well my knowledge is more shaky but, if pushed, I'd include Battarbee, Messenger, Walton and Youngs.
Had there really been only about 20 of you in 1A?

Sorry Brian! I also called you Allan after reading Brian's message. The question still applies though.

Apologies from me also Brian, I must have picked it up from Shaun.
Alan Murgatroyd was definitely one of the demotees from 1A. I should have got him earlier as we sat next to each other. Form master Percy Peart had everyone in alphabetical order for at least some of the year, so I was next to Murgatroyd, though I do remember a spell next to Richard Midgley. Who remembers Murgatroyd, (from Haworth (or Oxenhope) I think)?.
Wasnt Geoffrey 'St Vitus' Theasby another demotee?
There must have been a couple more though if the suggested promotees was correct, I certainly agree with Battarbee and Messenger. Youngs probably right also. I agree White joined mid year. Im not convinced his first name was Phil.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) brianmoate@hotmail.com