Free Alice-Miranda At School by Jacqueline Harvey Page B

badge.’ Miss Reedy looked around at Mr Plumpton, who rolled his eyes.
    Alethea ran to the side of the stage, bounded up the steps and snatched the badge from Miss Reedy’s hand. She then shoved the teacher rather energetically from the lectern. She began her acceptance speech with another squeal.
    â€˜Girls, teachers, you have made a wonderful choice in me. I will be the best Head Prefect Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale has ever seen. Of course, there really was no other option.’ She smiled condescendingly along the row of girls from the Sixth Form.
    Miss Reedy moved in beside Alethea and leaned into the microphone.
    â€˜Thank you, Alethea. Your graciousness and humility will no doubt be a highlight of the year.’
    A snicker of laughter rose up before Alethea shot a stare that would freeze fire.
    â€˜You may return to your seat, Alethea,’ Miss Reedy instructed.
    â€˜But I sit on the stage next to you now, Miss Reedy.’ Alethea’s cat with the cream smile was plastered all over her smug face.
    â€˜And so you do.’ Miss Reedy motioned towards the empty seat beside her own.
    â€˜Now we have to spend every assembly looking at that,’ Millie whispered.
    Alice-Miranda leaned forward in her seat. ‘If she’s really so terrible why did Miss Grimm allow it?’
    â€˜Remember the library.’ Millie didn’t smile. ‘As long as your parents can pay, you can be whatever you want at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale.’
    â€˜That’s awful,’ Alice-Miranda sighed. ‘Surely it hasn’t always been like this? Mummy would have told me, and she has only ever said that it was a wonderful school.’
    â€˜Legend has it that about ten years ago somethingterrible happened. The whole place changed and since then, well, it seems as though the family that pays the most, gets the most.’ Millie picked nervously at her fingernails.
    Alice-Miranda caught sight of Miss Higgins standing just offstage. She looked pale and was wringing her hands together.
    â€˜Something’s missing, Millie. Miss Grimm should be here. She’s the headmistress and she should be leading the assembly.’
    â€˜Tell her that,’ Millie whispered.
    â€˜Item number two,’ Miss Reedy’s voice boomed. ‘All students under the age of eight will be required to sit an academic suitability test. If they are proven unsuitable the consequences may involve removal from the school.’
    A murmur shot around the room. The look of surprise on Miss Reedy’s face suggested she was reading the rule for the very first time. She turned around to face the staff, who seemed equally shocked.
    â€˜That’s a new one. I didn’t have to sit any suitability test,’ Millie whispered.
    â€˜I didn’t either … nor me … what’s that all about?’ the room buzzed.
    â€˜But there’s nobody here who’s under the age ofeight,’ called Madeline Bloom, who had been silently doing her maths. ‘You’re not supposed to come unless you’ve turned eight already.’
    â€˜Well, I’m afraid there is someone,’ said Alice-Miranda, touching her left forefinger to her lips.
    â€˜Who?’ asked Ivory Hicks.
    â€˜Me,’ Alice-Miranda smiled.
    â€˜Silence,’ Miss Reedy commanded. ‘Item number three. Any girls under the age of eight must complete the Form Six Wilderness Walk: camping for five days in a tent, cooking her own food and navigating her own way through the forest. Failure to do so would render her unready for life at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale.’ Miss Reedy gasped as she finished reading.
    â€˜That’s madness,’ she murmured under her breath, then gulped loudly when she realised that the microphone had picked up every word. She quickly moved on.
    â€˜Item number four.’ Miss Reedy took a deep breath, hardly daring to scan the page. She cleared her throat. ‘Item number