When Bad Education and Glee mash up…you need Mango!

Abbey Grove School headteacher Mr Fraser took a long look at the two groups of teenagers lined up in the yard.

“Alfie Wickers, Will Schuester. Mr Schuester, Mr Wickers,” he said, making an introduction.

“Hi!” Will said, offering his hand for a handshake.

Alfie grabbed it awkwardly and shook it.

“Hello,” he said.

The pupils of Abbey Grove and McKinley High glared at each other.

“It’s wonderful that you’re stopping off at Abbey Grove on your UK exchange visit,” Alfie added.

Williams smiled: “And we’re looking forward to welcoming you back in Ohio in the spring.”

Mr Fraser turned his Segway towards Alfie: “Right, now the introductions are over I’ll leave

Mr Schuester in your capable hands. Have a report to write for the board of governors about our stationery procurement. Riveting stuff!”

He rolled off, leaving the two sides looking at each other.

Alfie said: “Will, is it? Why don’t you bring your…glee club…inside so the pupils can meet each other properly?”

Will smiled: “Sounds great!”

Stephen Carmichael whispered to Chantelle Parsons: “He’ll be disappointed!”

****

Four hours later…

Stephen was sitting on his desk watching Chantelle, Finn, and Rachel singing ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, while Kurt and Mercedes played air guitar.

Alfie sighed: “We were supposed to be reading Hamlet today…or at least watching the Ken Branagh film…”

Will laughed: “Maybe try All’s Well That Ends Well…something a little lighter. Honestly, I’m enjoying this mash up. We’re here for a week, so we could put on something of a show…”

Alfie winced: “Our shows tend to end in disaster. We were banned from the local theatre after the last one, Nerf Gun Bugsy Malone.”

Will shrugged: “Put it on here! Let’s do West Side Story meets Return to the Forbidden Planet…”

Stephen shouted: “Then when we go to America, we can do Frozen meets Sweeney Todd!”

Alfie sighed: “If we don’t get these risk assessments for your trip done, none of you will be going anywhere in the spring.”

Will looked at the paperwork on Alfie’s desk.

“You need Mango,” he said.

Alfie put his head in his hands: “Definitely need more vitamins.”

Will laughed: “No, the online compliance software, not the fruit. We use it back home to manage all our health and safety measures. It stores all the documents in the cloud and we don’t get swamped in paper. We can access it wherever there’s an internet connection.”

Alfie nodded: “Sounds ideal. We’re expecting the paperwork to get worse when our new anti-terror legislation really kicks in. Martyn’s Law says venues including schools and colleges must do their bit to protect the public. Detailed risk assessments, staff training, good communication in the event something does happen. That sort of thing.”

Will clapped his shoulder: “If I can help, let me know. I’m supposed to be accompanying Quinn, Mitchell, and Rem Dogg’s Bohemian Rhapsody in five minutes.”

Alfie smiled as Will walked away down the corridor: “I see a little silhouette-o of a man…”

• Find out how Mango’s online compliance software could help your school. Book a free demonstration which will be delivered via Zoom. We can help you with a Martyn’s Law assessment, too. Call Penarth Management on 029 2070 3328 or email info@penarth.co.uk

• Need information on Martyn’s Law? Take a look at the programme of free seminars from our sister company The Protect Alliance: Events | The Protect Alliance (UK)