‘You’ll be treated like grown-ups when you can be trusted to behave like grown-ups,’ a teacher yelled.

‘No budget, no cuts!’ a bunch of kids started chanting.

Four teachers stormed through to surround the group and make them stop. Georgia made sure she was close to a couple of teachers she knew well so that nobody could accuse her of being a ringleader.

The head of year eleven made a popular shaggy-haired lad called Enoch stand up for shouting and tried to make an example of him.

‘Detention, three days!’ he roared. ‘Now stand outside!’

Enoch got huge cheers as he walked out backwards, bowing and making peace signs. There were several more minutes of chaos and three girls were ejected before things settled down enough for Headmaster Byrne to emerge from the PE equipment room.

The head’s arrival was another scare tactic, but it got ruined by a boy shouting, ‘Mr Byrne’s come out of the closet!’

‘We love you, Mr Byrne,’ another group of girls shouted, getting a big laugh.

‘Good morning,’ Mr Byrne began, looking rattled. ‘I have been headmaster of this school for eleven years, and this is the only time I have ever had to call every single pupil out of lessons for a special assembly. My deputies will be talking to other year groups, but I am speaking to you, because I believe the core troublemakers are in this room.’

Georgia stared at her toes as five hundred eyes turned on her.

‘If you leave school, for a political protest or any other reason, there will be severe consequences. I have asked the police to place officers outside the school and arrest anyone who tries to leave. Furthermore, if there is significant disruption today, I will cancel proms, dances, the end-of-year field trips and activities for the entire school.’

Mr Byrne looked pleased with himself as a that’s-not-fair groan crossed the room.

‘That includes the year-eleven prom, for which I know many of you have already purchased dresses and made other preparations.’

Everyone was looking at Georgia again, including a lot of scowls from the kind of girls who were really into prom.

‘Don’t stare at me,’ Georgia blurted, almost shocked to hear her voice shooting across the sports hall. ‘I’m not in charge of anything.’

Maya saw Georgia was upset and got stuck in. ‘Comrades!’ she began powerfully. ‘Georgia’s sister died because of cuts like this! Does it really matter if you don’t get to dress up and go to some lame school dance?’

A pair of teachers swooped towards Maya, but she was making her own way towards the fire doors at the back of the room.

‘Hands off,’ Maya told teachers as kids sitting on the floor made way. ‘Anyone touches me, I’ll lay you out!’

Close to three hundred kids were laughing as Maya booted open the fire doors, setting off an alarm.