Margaret starts at Castle Lane Junior School and relies on Denise while she learns the unfamiliar routines.

A reconstructed diary entry about Margaret’s final day at secondary school and the uncertain gap before her first job begins.

Margaret becomes Eastbrook’s school secretary and takes responsibility for the records, money and correspondence that keep the office running.

Margaret begins work as senior administrator at Millbrook and adjusts to networked computers, email and unfamiliar office systems.