The chalet school and ofsted?

[thebody]

Aibu to wonder what Ofsted would have made of the Chalet school.? Any fellow chaletians around?

You're right Humphrey, it was Rosmamund Lilley. Sorry Rosamund, I was so appalled by your humble roots that I didn't even bother to learn your name.

I loved The Chalet School and Barbara - I really wanted to be her.

There was Joan Baker too who followed Rosamund to the Chalet School.

I like that one too. Also The Wrong Chalet School where the worldly girl reads Forever Amber. I immediately got that from the bookcase and dived in.

Joan Baker, whose parents blew all the money they won on the pools. She wore lipstick that clashed with her dress and had unconvincing slang.

I think I loved them all, actually.

NorthernLurker - you've missed out Joey's twins Felix and Felicity.

Were they the ones born when Joey was in Canada?

You can tell by her name that Joan Baker was a common and fast kind of girl.

I liked the one where Thekla was expelled.

I got a copy of 'Forever Amber' too after reading about it in the Chalet School books. I read somewhere that the book was 'Gone with the Wind' in the original hardback.

Thekla was a great baddie. Even Joey couldn't save her. Imagine!

And YOU expelled her!

I like the Highland Twins. I really felt for their big sister (Shina?) being shoved into the WRENS after years living in a tiny island community and then there's the whole intrigue around the Map of Erisay. Brilliant

I thought it was Mademoiselle Lepattre? Or was she ill by that point?

Ah, you might be right.

I really need to brush up on my Chalet School history.

Calamity, near misses, terrible illness, mishaps....who on earth would send their child to the Chalet School?

My mind used to boggle at doing lessons in another language. And at how quickly Joey picked up new ones. A few weeks in a new country and she is chattering happily to the natives.

yes rosamund went to state school but rosalie didn't finish school as she had to leave to look after her father and brothers after her stepmother(?) died and then resurfaced as Dr Jem's secretary at the san before becoming secretary to the chalet school. She always regretted that she was never able to attend Miss Annersleys literature classes.

Always liked the bit in rosamund where it is explained that rosamund's mother is a good mother as she bakes her own cakes whereas joan's mother is obviously terrible as she buys ready made cakes from the shop and only gives her kids bread and jam for tea.

I also really liked carola - probably one of my top ten. Just liked the nerve of her running away to school. Also really liked chalet school and the island where annis runs away in a rowing boat and has to climb up a cliff and is nearly drowned.

And was saved by some chap called Kester who liked birdwatching....or did I dream it?

One of Madge's twin boys was called Kester. Kester and ....... Kevin?

Poor Kevin he got the dud name.

My DD has been stuck in an Enid Blyton school story rut, since being traumatised by the Phillip Pulman Dark materials series (recommended by her yr6 teacher) .....so after reading this thread I resurrected my CS collection. Three days of reading and the first 2 books read ---she is hooked!

Yes, Annis was saved by Kester, the famous birdwatcher.

Oooh just found this thread and am sorely tempted to re read. Will I really find Jack Maynard creepy and not romantic?

Have also remember that I planned on having triplets and am still waiting for Rufus my St Bernard. Shame I've now found out just how hairy and slobbery they are.

yes kester and kevin and they were about a week old when it was decided one would go into the army and the other the navy.

I am sloooooowly picking up all the best ones in the GGBP versions, as I have the complete set in Armada paperbacks which have mostly been massively cut. Keep crossing my fingers for Highland Twins to come out, and Rivals, and possibly Eustacia (because I read that one first when I was 8 and was obsessed with it...)

Kester and Kevin who are born when Madge is about 45. David is 17 isn't he?

You're right I did miss out the silvery blonde and lisping Felix and Felicity.

I'm still trying to complete my set, will start re-reading this weekend. Apparently it's harder to get the later books, in hardback as the popularity waned. probably explains why I still have duplicates of the earlier ones.
The wrong chalet school was one of the first I read, imagine the paperwork today, if a pupil went to the wrong school....investigations, action plans.....