Last Term at Taverton High

Chalet School - Complete

by Helen Barber

A new term is beginning at Taverton High School, and Rosalie Dene is facing many changes. Two of her friends have just left to join the Chalet School, while another, Faith Christopher, is also moving away. And now Rosalie learns it is to be her own last term at the High.
But future plans must wait, for all is not well in Remove, the form both Faith and Rosalie belong to. As Faith herself puts it, ‘We’re the form that gets into all sorts of bother—and the form that never achieves anything good.’
The pair form a triumvirate with Dilys Williams and set out to counteract the malevolent influence of Jane Snaith and Agatha Fortescue. But it seems the trouble is not confined to the High, for they overhear an apparent plot to cheat in a Scout wide-game—and Rosalie’s father is the Scoutmaster.
Ably supported by Rosalie’s cousin Mary Burnett, and despite a near-tragedy in Faith’s family, the girls set out to reform Remove and thwart the cheating Scout, learning lessons themselves in the process.

Genres: School Stories, Fiction

302 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2018

Reviews

[Betsy A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Chalet School “fill-in” novel by Helen Barber is the third fill-in chronologically in the series, following “The Bettanys of Taverton High” and occurring during the first Chalet School book, “School at the Chalet”. Rather than focusing on Joey, Grizel and Madge, the story is set in Taverton and tells the tale of Rosalie Dene and Mary Burnett, cousins who eventually come to the Chalet School after its first year and who play a large role in the series as girls and adults.

The story is a typical EBD school story, with heroes and villains amongst the girls. Mary is living with Rosalie for the time being and is in the Third Form. Rosalie is older than Mary and is in the Remove. The Remove class has a poor reputation, and Rosalie is tasked with helping make things better. The Remove is given the job of putting on the Founder’s Day performance at the end of term, which the school thinks will be a disaster. There are several troublesome occurrences with Remove girls, several girls are affected seriously by illness, and there is an adventure with the boy’s Guide group. This story is one of the few in the series where non-relative boys appear in a substantive way. There are fun excursions, a very few references via letters to Joey, and a secret club. Helen Barber does a great job integrating the story into the Chalet School canon and provides a reasonable explanation for the lack of reference to Mary in EBD’s books once Rosalie appears at the school. Excellently done and really helps bring both girls to life. A valuable addition and enjoyable read.

[Shawne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of all the fill-in authors who've added colour and words and characters to Elinor M. Brent-Dyer's Chalet School universe, Helen Barber was always my favourite. She has a knack of writing and finding humour in the everyday that was very much her own, while still remaining faithful to all things EBD.

Unfortunately, her prequels to the Chalet School series have been wearing thin, none more so than Last Term At Taverton High. The book plods when it should sing, drags when it should dance. Doesn't help, either, that the two characters at the fore - cousins Rosalie Dene and Mary Burnett - are both more well-known for their steadiness than their charisma. It means we have multiple episodes demonstrating just how quiet, reliable and level-headed they are. Makes a good case for Rosalie to become the school's secretary in future, but makes for a rather boring read.

Best chapter was probably an afternoon tea party gone awry, which was amusing enough. But the rest of it isn't quite up to Barber's usual standards, unfortunately.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new fill-in novel connected to the Chalet School series. Miss Bettany has departed for Austria, taking with her her sister Joey and Grizel Cochrane. When the new term begins at Taverton High School, Rosalie Dene and her cousin Mary Burnett miss their old friends. Rosalie and her friend Faith are particularly concerned by the attitude of some of the other girls in their form, and Faith hopes they can improve matters before the end of term, when she will be leaving. When Rosalie learns that she will also be leaving, to go to the Chalet School, since her father has received a new appointment, she has mixed feelings, but is determined to make the best of it. Very enjoyable, and true to the tone of the original series. Recommended

[Readsandeats · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another great fill in to the Chalet School series. This one takes place at the same time as The School at the Chalet.
We meet two future chalet girls in what will be their last term at Taverton High. Rosalie Dean and her friends want to improve the reputation of their form The Remove. This is quite a cliquey form with some girls looking down on others and being nasty to them. Their form is chosen for a special event as part of school celebrationsin the hope by the staff that it will draw the form together.
Mary Burnett is Rosalie's cousin and lives with her but her family are moving to the area. Mary is longing to go to the chalet school as she is friends with Jo Bettany. Mary is becoming a bit of a leader in her form, she also helps Rosalie and her friends out with some of their situations both at school abd in the community.
I really enjoyed seeing both characters before them go to the chalet school. I am sure all Chalet School readers will enjoy this fill in. If you have not read the Chalet School this would be a good book to read maybe after you have read The School at the Chalet by Elinor M Brent Dyer.