Vivians is set on the Cumberland coast, and in this first title, Prefects at Vivians, we meet the enigmatic Lesley Trevor, youngest and most surprised of the new prefects, as well as some highly enterprising members of the Upper Fourth.

With the Upper Sixth firmly behind her, it seemed likely that her rule would be an easier one than that of her predecessor, Chris Rivers, but once again Lesley is destined to encounter - and surmount - overwhelming difficulties. The temporary Head disliked Lesley from their first meeting in Miss Gordan’s study. Jean Cameron was strangely reluctant to become a senior and certain members of the Lower Sixth were determined that some of Lesley’s escapades last year should not be forgiven.

Vivians struggles to cope with the arrival of a large number of girls from a school which has recently closed down. The inevitable feud develops, splitting the school, much to the teachers’ dismay. The ingenious ways some girls use to fight it are far from predictable and its resolution is both thought-provoking and plausible. In another strand of the story, Eva Mihaly, a young girl who has escaped from her native Hungary, settles into school life and offers a startling new perspective on freedom which helps some of the girls come to their senses.

In Left Until Called for at Vivians, Alison Cameron, Vivians’ latest pupil, is an orphan in the care of missionaries who are unloving and indifferent to her needs. Having dumped her at school like a piece of left luggage, her guardians resist any attempts by her to revisit her old life. Alison struggles to find her place in the school, and makes some clumsy mistakes in the process which cost her dear. The friendship of certain pupils and staff come to her aid, however, and it is a well-loved Vivians girl who supplies, in the end, the best support of all. Woven in with this account of Alison’s first term is the story of the school’s entry to the Top of the Form radio quiz competition. The book also contains a short story of the same period, Shopkeeping, which Patricia Caldwell has written especially for this edition.

Book by Caldwell, Patricia

It’s a new year at Vivians and the Lower Sixth come back to find an adventure awaiting them: they are to be sent on an exchange trip to Madrid to learn the language, while their Spanish counterparts will be received at Vivians. In the weeks that follow the girls, including Tammy Dunbar, have an experience they will never forget. They learn to work in an unfamiliar language and be part of a school whose rules and customs are very different from their own. In their free time they enjoy an independent life in a Spanish pensión, filling their days with the excursions and new friendships that are an important part of their visit. Meanwhile, the pupils left behind – not always happily – at Vivians help the Spanish exchange students fit into English school life. There is a welcome glimpse of some much-loved old girls as they come to give talks for a career day, and new pupil Dawn struggles to find her place in the school. First privately printed, this edition of ¡Viva Vivians! has extensive new material, and Pat has also written a fascinating introduction describing her own experiences as a language student and teacher in 1960s Madrid.

Excitements lie ahead for the Vivians girls when they return to the school for the autumn term in Winter at Vivians. There is the news of an archaeological dig to take place in the grounds, which captures their imaginations - could it really be possible that the school is the site for St Ninian’s church? Their fascination with the project leads them into several interesting activities from a trip to visit Ninians’s cave to one girl becoming inspired to write a story with a surprising theme for the newly formed magazine. But when deepest winter descends on the school, work on the dig must stop for the time being. The girls have the school’s jubilee celebrations to look forward to, but how can the event go ahead with roads blocked and supplies not getting through? In the coldest winter for decades, Vivians has to prove its resourcefulness and endurance as it rises to the challenge. The weather nearly proves fatal in the case of new girl, Jennifer Cornish, whose terror at having a secret revealed leads her to take a very desperate step. But the warmth and kindness of Miss Lawrence and her fellow teachers help Jennifer overcome her problems and finally enjoy life at Vivians. A folk dance competition is a welcome indoor activity to replace games, and when the dig is finally resumed a breakthrough comes from a most unexpected place.