Changes for the Chalet School Trivia Quiz

Answer: Buy the school some motorboats

If you've read 'Shocks for the Chalet School', you might recall the bit where Miss Burnett falls down a hole, which turns out to be a disused well, and some investigation on the part of Commander Christy leads to an outflow, where he reckoned Dai Lloyd - his ancestor, and a notorious pirate - hid his treasure. Over the holidays, Commander Christie has done some more digging. Neither Carey, his wife, nor Dickie want to keep the jewellery because of how it was obtained, so he plans to sell it, use the proceeds for his family, the school and charity, and return the stole church property to the Church.

Answer: She got caught trying to pawn her mother's jewellery to pay off gambling debts.

Diana incurred gambling debts, amongst other things, and tried to pawn her mother's jewellery to pay them off. Unfortunately, she got caught as the pawnbroker recognised the jewellery and told her father, who took her out of the school. Miss Annersley isn't keen on telling Bride, but feels she has to as Sylvia Vane, one of the Tanswick girls, knows about it and can't be trusted to keep quiet. Bride is shocked, but Miss Annersley tells her off for being judgemental, and ruminates that Bride had the privilege of a sensible upbringing, while Diana's parents brought her up badly.

Answer: "Not a sausage."

The girls tease Mary-Lou about this afterwards. Emerence Hope is also shocked to find out that, in Switzerland, they will be expected to know French and German.

Answer: Bess Herbert's father gave her father a job.

Tom's father is a vicar and doesn't earn much, so she believes she will have to stay behind at St Agnes, the English branch, rather than going out to Switzerland with her friends. She gets a message to see Miss Annersley and finds out that Joey has awarded her a scholarship, and initially thinks Bride has told Joey and Madge to do it (although Bride says she hasn't spoken to either of them about it).

As it turns out, Tom doesn't even need the scholarship, as Bess Herbert's father, the Dean of Minchampton Cathedral and an old friend of Canon Gay, has given him a job in the diocese, meaning that Tom's family can afford to send her to Switzerland after all.

Answer: The Maynard triplets

Emerence goes for a run and bumps into four girls, who she thinks are new, but it turns out they're already pupils, and are none other than Josette Russell and the Maynard triplets. Miss Annersley sends her away and tells the triplets they will all be in different forms, with Len and Con being with older girls.

The Chalet School will not be taking girls under 12 years old to Switzerland, but the Maynards are the exception because of their parents moving out there. Margot and Emerence become friends, much to Joey's dismay, and Emerence deliberately works badly in the hope of being relegated to Margot's form, while Margot works extra hard, but the teachers cotton on and warn Emerence that she'll stay behind in England if her work doesn't improve.

Answer: Miss Slater

Miss Slater is tired of being a junior mistress and wants a more senior position at another school, as she feels it will give her the opportunity to test new theories, and she wants to take the opportunity to move up the career ladder. Miss Dene accuses her of cowardice and Miss Derwent, Miss Burnett and Miss O'Brien all make fun of her. Joey, who has come with her baby twins and news of various Old Girls, defuses the situation.

Answer: Julie sits on a desk, which collapses and spills ink on everyone.

As the weather is extra hot, the school has decided to let the girls do their exams outside, and the Seniors and Prefects are charged with setting up the desks and inkwells. While Julie is telling a funny story about something Emerence said, she leans too hard on a desk and it collapses, and she and some of the other girls get drenched in ink. Matron comes out to tell them to be quiet, but is worried when Julie has the hiccups, as she is still in recovery from a serious operation. Luckily, Julie turns out to be fine.

Answer: A chocolate factory

Specifically, the trip is to the Bourneville chocolate factory in Birmingham, and the whole chapter is based on a real-life excursion Elinor M Brent-Dyer attended! Miss Nichols, the guide, takes the girls on a tour of the factory and shows them how the machines work and how chocolates and biscuits are made, as well as giving them - and us - an insight into the lives of the workers.

The girls all get free samples of chocolates and biscuits to take with them.

Answer: One of the girls disturbs a piglet and wakes up the entire herd.

You can't have a 'Chalet School' book without an incident from the Middles, and 'Changes' is no exception. The Dawbarns decide to give Bride a 'little fun' as it's her last term as Head Girl, and Primrose comes up with the idea of having a midnight picnic in the old orchard.

They sneak some tuck from the school cupboards - although they decide not to take any sweets, as that would be a step too far - and have a picnic out in the orchard, but when Prudence goes to get a drink, she treads on a piglet. Mr Evans, who keeps pigs, has put up a sow and her piglets in the orchard as their pigscot has been destroyed, and when the piglet squeals, the sow takes umbrage.

The combined screaming of the girls and the pigs wakes up the school, and Miss Annersley punishes the girls by banning them from participating in the school regatta.

Answer: Bride Bettany

St Scholastika's (Tom's house) and St Thérèse's draw the Senior boat race, and Bride, Mary-Lou and Josette all win swimming races. The greasy pole proves to be the biggest challenge, with Margot, Tom, Norah Fitzgerald, Emerence, Elfie Woodward and Bride among the competitors, and none of them reach the end of the pole where the fake leg of mutton is hanging.

However, Bride gets the furthest along the pole, so she wins by default. Unfortunately, the tub race is cancelled due to fog. At the special supper laid on after the regatta, Bride gives her final speech as Head Girl.