The Youngest Apprentices

Wednesday. Summer holidays, and the academy is full of apprentices so young that some of them need a boost to see over the scrolls.

Parents ask me the same questions at the door, so I shall write the answers here and point to them. Nine and over is the age we recommend. Seven and eight are welcome too, as paying members of a family class. Anyone nine or under must have a parent or guardian in the room with them, which is good for the child and, frankly, better for the parent.

And is it frightening? A little spooky, here and there. There are skulls that glow, corners dimmer than others, and the eclipse is not a cheerful colour. But nothing jumps, nothing chases and nobody is meant to leave in tears. A seven-year-old told me today that the skulls were “friendly but serious”, which is exactly how I would describe my staff.

Hollis found a sandal in the stone corridor. Nobody has claimed it.