My primary school in a rough industrial town was hellish beyond belief, all I can remember is the whole class getting repeatedly belted (the dreaded Lochgelly 'tawse') for nothing very much, and having my head bounced off toilet walls by older kids, at least one of whom, I later found out, subsequently did time for murder.
By contrast my six years of high school in a rural boarding school was sheer bliss, as much music as I could fit in my day and by and large the sport (otherwise copious, cold & pointless) was avoidable if you could prove you were doing something constructive (such as music practice).