Maigret's Dead Man

Summer of 1923. It's summer and as part of Rose's 'coming out' she is to be presented at Buckingham Palace. The Crawley family go to London to prepare Grantham House for this busy social program.

Summerhill, whose headmistress is Zoe Redhead, is a seventy year old progressive school, run on cooperative lines with pupils having an equal say in its constitution. However officious OFSTED inspector Wharton regards it as a waste of money and a means of teaching children disrespect - though his assistant Myrtle is charmed by its ambience. In a court hearing to decide the school's future barrister Geoffrey Robertson points to the many alumni from the school but also, thanks to a tip-off from a pupil, is able to reveal that Wharton had told Myrtle that the school was virtually due for closure and the inspection was purely a formality. Consequently Summerhill is saved, Myrtle gets to teach there and the children launch a pirate ship with the banner 'Freedom' to celebrate the victory. Two children whose future at the school looked uncertain are also given cause to celebrate.

A children's drama depicting six children's fictional experiences at a London comprehensive on Thursday 7th July, played against the backdrop of real news footage and the events of that day. New-boy Jack befriends the troubled Ben and is drawn into a perilous journey across London to find Ben's Dad at Liverpool Street. Meanwhile, musicians Ayesha and Perry's school trip to play at a competition is cancelled due to the bombs and they find themselves battling Kelly, the school bully. Kelly's friend Marie makes a choice about who she wants to be, finally standing up to Kelly when the Muslim Ayesha is the victim of religious and racial prejudice.