It's a Hayley week, and we're talking about what makes a headmistress in the Chalet School series.

Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2026/10/06/s4e2-the-pillars-of-the-house/

You can find Tophole on Facebook, or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com.

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And we're back! A little later than planned, because it's been quite the summer, but here at last, with a look at a non Chalet book which tackles the structural inequalities of the class system. Well, 'tackles' may be a bit strong...

Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2026/09/22/s4e1-the-perils-of-cheap-sweets/

You can find Tophole on Facebook or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com.

Apparently we're the number 2 result on Apple podcasts, if you're searching for a podcast about patchwork fabrics. This suggests that the algorithm may not be wholly effective, so please do tell fellow EBD fans that we're here!

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It's got all the ingredients of a good Chalet School book - but there's something about the way they're combined, that I really don't like! My thoughts will probably crystallize properly in about 6 months' time (that's usually what happens) but here's what I made of Summer Term at the Chalet School to be going on with.

Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2026/07/28/s3e20-my-least-favourite-chalet-school-book/

You can find Tophole on Facebook or email us at Topholepodcast@gmail.com.

See you in September!

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EBD wrote an adventure for boys - and Kit told me (after editing the episode) that it sounds far more brutal than any of the boys' stories he read as a kid. Time for a bit of international espionage as we travel with shipwrecked Hawk Chudleigh to an unnamed island somewhere near New Zealand.

Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2026/07/14/s3e19-ebd-licensed-to-thrill/

You can find Tophole on Facebook or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com.

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An account of our recent holiday in Guernsey - where I was, of course, constantly thinking about the CS and EBD. Kit, not so much.

Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2026/06/30/s3e18-to-guernsey/.

You can find Tophole on Facebook or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com.

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A pivotal summer term book this time, as we look at the Chalet School's final term on St Briavel's - a book which might well have inspired Roald Dahl, given that it could be subtitled "The Chalet School and the Chocolate Factory". Subjects I had to google while researching this episode included how much milk a goat produces, 1950s university entrance requirements, the Allied occupation of Austria, and the actual definition of a step-sister.

Please don't panic if the next episode is late - we are about to go on holiday a podcast research trip to Guernsey.

Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2026/06/02/s3e17-so-long-farewell-auf-wiedersehen-good-bye/

You can find Tophole on Facebook, or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com.

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The 50th book in the Chalet School series was specially written by EBD to mark the occasion, and she dedicated it to fans - so this is OUR book. It's more of a romance than a school story, but mostly we, the readers, are reunited with characters we love, in situations which we recognise from earlier tales in the series. Cliff-dangling rescue? Check. Torrent of water blocking the way? Check. Marriage to a doctor? Check. But this isn't recycling. It's referencing, and that makes all the difference.

Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2026/05/19/s3e16-fat-shaming-drug-pushing-and-an-ornate-belt-buckle/.

You can find Tophole on Facebook or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com.

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Hayley and Deborah discuss fan fiction, particularly about Chalet School. Audio warning: we recorded this using Teams, and you can tell Kit was not there supervising!

Transcript available at https://topholepodcast.wordpress.com/2026/05/05/s3e15-comfort-and-joy/

You can find Tophole on Facebook, or email us at topholepodcast@gmail.com.

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