I know we can’t base our conclusions on the basis of one example, but your experiences appear to confirm what I have long believed, namely that the cane was used far less in England than the tawse was in Scotland. Lateness, for example, was usually punished with the tawse in Scotland while your lot apparently got off Scot free, if you’ll excuse the pun. Not fair at all!
In Scotland the use of the tawse varied according to the school in question, the decade under consideration, the catchment area of the school, the view of individual teachers and the Headmaster. Less academic pupils were generally strapped considerably more than those in A and B streams. The peak years for receiving the strap were from Primary 5 to Secondary 3. It was also used outwith these year groups, but usually less so. With boys, the year group most belted was age 14 and, perhaps strangely, with girls it was age 15.