Chloe Hadjimatheou

If you arranged to meet someone and they didn't show up, you went back home again and you used your turn-dial landline to call their landline.

If you arranged to meet someone and they didn't show up, you went back home again and you used your turn-dial landline to call their landline.

The same kind of landline that Margaret Thatcher used to call into Radio 4's Today programme whenever she heard something that surprised her. IRA bombs seemed to be going off every other day, and most kids around the country were fixated by only one North London secondary school, Grange Hill on Kids TV.

The same kind of landline that Margaret Thatcher used to call into Radio 4's Today programme whenever she heard something that surprised her. IRA bombs seemed to be going off every other day, and most kids around the country were fixated by only one North London secondary school, Grange Hill on Kids TV.

In which every issue under the sun seemed to be playing out all at the same time. Although the writer's imagination didn't stretch as far as an affair between a young boy and his female teacher. Back in the real North London, a new term's just started at Christ College and boys in dark blue uniforms are tumbling out of buses, flocking loudly into the school.

In which every issue under the sun seemed to be playing out all at the same time. Although the writer's imagination didn't stretch as far as an affair between a young boy and his female teacher. Back in the real North London, a new term's just started at Christ College and boys in dark blue uniforms are tumbling out of buses, flocking loudly into the school.

The three-storey red brick building's more than 150 years old and it really stands out because of its huge tower, more like a turret on a castle really, with little arched windows spiralling up in line with a narrow staircase on the inside. The tower's where the science labs are.

The three-storey red brick building's more than 150 years old and it really stands out because of its huge tower, more like a turret on a castle really, with little arched windows spiralling up in line with a narrow staircase on the inside. The tower's where the science labs are.

And this term, there's lots of commotion up there because the school has a new young chemistry teacher, Sally-Anne Bowen. This is her first teaching job, not long out of training. She's 27, with long blonde hair, and like loads of the boys, 13-year-old Gareth can't help staring at her.

And this term, there's lots of commotion up there because the school has a new young chemistry teacher, Sally-Anne Bowen. This is her first teaching job, not long out of training. She's 27, with long blonde hair, and like loads of the boys, 13-year-old Gareth can't help staring at her.

Gareth's birthday is in May, so he's pretty young for his year, but he's a bright kid, athletic, with wavy brown hair.

Gareth's birthday is in May, so he's pretty young for his year, but he's a bright kid, athletic, with wavy brown hair.

He's fiercely proud of his dad being a journalist. He teaches his son never to blindly accept what he's told. Question everything, he says. Of course, that doesn't always go down well with Gareth's teachers. Precocious and lippy is probably what they would have called him. But his dad's also an alcoholic and he can be violent.

He's fiercely proud of his dad being a journalist. He teaches his son never to blindly accept what he's told. Question everything, he says. Of course, that doesn't always go down well with Gareth's teachers. Precocious and lippy is probably what they would have called him. But his dad's also an alcoholic and he can be violent.

Sometimes he beats Gareth with a belt and when he's drunk, he goes after his mum too, until she can't take it anymore and leaves.

Sometimes he beats Gareth with a belt and when he's drunk, he goes after his mum too, until she can't take it anymore and leaves.

Gareth ends up living with his mum. He misses his dad, but he's busy, hanging out with his mates. They like going into the fields just north of Finchley, looking for golf balls, which they sell back to the golfers and use the money for sweets or comics.

Gareth ends up living with his mum. He misses his dad, but he's busy, hanging out with his mates. They like going into the fields just north of Finchley, looking for golf balls, which they sell back to the golfers and use the money for sweets or comics.

Gareth's not in any of Miss Bowen's chemistry classes and so his story with her doesn't really begin until about halfway through that year. There's a bus that takes pupils from one part of the school to another. Gareth's only in the third year. These days we call it year nine in the UK or eighth grade in the US.

Gareth's not in any of Miss Bowen's chemistry classes and so his story with her doesn't really begin until about halfway through that year. There's a bus that takes pupils from one part of the school to another. Gareth's only in the third year. These days we call it year nine in the UK or eighth grade in the US.