King Richard Academy was a posh sounding name for a state school, though most schools nowadays had posh names to make them more attractive. Though King Richard Academy was anything but attractive; the grey stone building was surrounded by tarmac, and the playing fields at the back were bog and mud, the grass having been torn up ages ago. Behind the playing fields, where King Richard Academy's football team played home games and where other school's football teams would immediately lose, was the woods.
The woods hid the school from the main road. Home to many tall trees packed tightly together, they had become a haven for drunks and druggies hiding. Many students of King Richard Academy also skived here, teachers avoiding the area for fear of assault. Crowds gathered in the woods after school to smoke, chat and watch the frequent fight. Occasionally police sirens would be heard just before the bell went off that announced home time, and when pupils streamed out the back entrance of King Richard Academy police officers would be standing around to prevent a fight and to arrest vandals. Graffiti was still a regular occurrence, and the lampposts the council had put up were still forced out of the ground and smashed using beer bottles and pieces of metal fence.
King Richard Academy wasn't a poor school however. The front entrance to the school was a drive, which was free from any problems, asides from the occasional upturned bin. Teachers and students alike could leave school this way without fear, younger years tended to leave this way even if it meant a longer route home. The reason was simple; the front entrance was safe, the back entrance wasn't. The front of the school led onto wide pedestrian-safe streets, with mini castles alining them. A large park, with perfect grass, well-mantained paths and a children's playpark also came into view quickly. The mini castles, actually houses complete with turrets, large driveways and electric gates to keep everyone out, were over £1 million each. The area was fondly known of as millionaire's district.
The other side of King Richard Academy, beyond the muddy playing fields, dark woods and busy road, was regarded with disgust by most people. The houses were all in a fit of disrepair and should have been knocked down years ago. Closed down shops with broken windows lined the streets which were swarming with pot holes and parts of cars which had fallen off as the driver sped around the estate. Joy riding was common, as was vandalism, robbery, assault and arson. Only last week, the medical clinic had been reduced to cinders, the fire brigade only being alerted when it was certain nothing would survive the inferno. The fish and chip shop and the chinese takeaway offered the neon flickering light in the dismal place, the smell of fat and grease wafting in every direction.
King Richard Academy somehow managed to achieve higher exam results than the nearby private schools, so most of the millionaires opted to send their children there, telling them it would not only be good for their education, but also would build their character having to cope and deal with situations the poor kids provided. So on the start of a new year of King Richard Academy, where the chilly autumn breeze, which had come early this year, was already forcing some students to wear scarves, rich and poor children alike slumped towards the grey building, which was certain to smell like bleach and varnish, as the cleaners had scrubbed it from top to bottom over the Summer holidays.
The blue linoleum on the floor had been covered in a fresh coat of varnish to make it shine. Dried chewing gum and parts of sweet wrappers were visible underneath where the cleaners had gotten bored and become careless. The Assembly Hall had been given a good scrub and the window that had been smashed replaced. Classroom carpets, which had been in shreds at the end of last term, were now back in one piece, instead of revealing the concrete floor underneath, where someone had scrawled crude words in permanent marker. Walls had all been given a fresh lick of paint, but peering closely the vague outlines of red pen were still visible. Whiteboards were wiped clean, and a bottle of bleach placed on every teacherís desk due to the number of penmarks which refused to come off.
Tables and chairs were all replaced after students had seen fit to smash and destroy them on the last day. The tanoy system was reinstalled; it had been disconnected after several death threats, coarse swearing, a vulgar song and the sound of a couple fornicating came over it. New locks were placed on every classroom and office door as last term keys had gone missing which resulted to the Head's office being trashed and several classrooms being locked with the teacher and class in them. New fire alarms were put in place since the old ones were cut off to allow a group of students to smoke in the music corridor. Finally, the school bell tone was changed. Last year, students had recorded the bell on their phones and set it off during class. Most teachers let them out.
One place that hadn't been touched by the cleaners were the toilets. King Richard Academy had nearly 1,500 pupils, yet it only had two sets of girl's and boy's toilets. The girl's and boy's toilets next to the cafeteria were in a dismal state. One sniff and strangers to the school went sprinting. The cleaners had simply replaced the toilet paper and left, gasping for air. Filthy toilets, used toilet paper on the floor, broken doors on the cubicles, upturned bins. Both girl's and boy's toilets had those traits. The girl's toilets also had foundation smears over the mirrors, cigarettes, pads and tampons littered everywhere and the cheap, overpowering smell of perfume mingling with smoke. The boy's toilets had the same smoke smell, but it was mingled with cheap deodorant and aftershave. The other toilets, on the bottom level of King Richard Academy, beside the bike sheds, used for hiding couples locked in intimate moments, were in an even worse state of disrepair. Lights no longer worked, windows were broken, toilet seats weren't attached to toilets. They were a deserted mess. Not that anyone actually cared. Most people avoided going to the toilet during school hours, and those who were desperate could break into the staff toilets next to the art department which were never locked.
King Richard Academy was ready to face a new year. The staff were all well aware that the multi-thousand pound refurbishment would have to be redone the next Summer, and the Summer after. That was just how it had always been. The building, as glittering as it could be at the moment, would very soon be in the same sorry state it had been in before Summer, and the staff would have to think up new ways to protect the things that the students would destroy if they could, but if they did, would result in the school's closure and their lack of a job.
The school year began at 8.40am, and the staff entrance was unlocked at 7am. Staff came in slowly, reluctant to be back after a relaxing holiday. The student entrances were opened at 8am, but no one came. Not that the Head and his support team were surprised. Students didn't arrive at school until the latest time possible. The earliest they would be arriving was twenty-five past. And not a moment before. As Richard, it was coincidence that he was Head of a school which appeared to be named after him if only he could be King, Plantagenet knew his students. He had been Head at King Richard Academy for nearly five years now, and had been blessed with the support of a great team of staff and a close relative, his cousin, Mr. John Mortain for his deputy.
So, as the clock ticked onwards, Richard could see a bunch of figures trudging towards the entrances and he sighed. The school year had just unofficially begun, and with pupils getting worse every year what treats and treachery would he be in for this year? Mr Plantagenet was joined shortly by Mr Mortain. Neither spoke, if they spoke it would ruin the illusion. The illusion that the new year hadn't actually begun, that when it did the pupils would be polite and kind, the very image of obedience. A scream consisting of crude words erupted from the back entrance. Both flinched, the illusion shattered for good.
"I suppose we should go before they arrive." Mr Mortain suggested heavily, wondering how students could be able to yell as loud as they did.
"Yes," The Head breathed resignedly. He had tried countless times to enforce discipline on the students. And failed more times than he had tried. But he and the school survived, albeit sparsely. The two men, already wearily with the bleak building turned, ignoring the squeak their shoes made on the floor, and walked briskly back to their respective offices and collapsing onto their seats. Infact, both had identical thoughts as they sat down; how long was it going to be before the October holidays?