These slips would be posted into one of four boxes near to the entrance hall and collected at the end of Thursday mornings by each of the school’s four Housemothers.

The process was simple and fair, and it was not possible to tamper or interfere with any aspect or with the outcome.

School on Thursday had an early finishing time of 3.30 instead of our usual four o’clock, even though day pupils could not be collected until four onwards from the school library.

By 3.30, at the entrance hall, a list of those pupils each Housemother wished to see was posted next to her box.