Wicked!

Wicked! A Tale of Two Schools is a 2006 novel by English writer Jilly Cooper. It is the eighth book in the Rutshire Chronicles series. The novel is based on the interactions of staff and pupils of two schools in the fictional county of Larkshire, the private school Bagley Hall and the state-run Larkminster Comprehensive. Students include "Feral" Jackson, a Larkminster pupil whose mother is a drug addict, and Paris Alvaston, who lives in care. Rupert Campbell-Black also features as a pupil, when he takes a bet that he cannot pass GCSE English. Cooper undertook extensive research in preparation for the book, visiting both state and independent schools, including: Dean Close School, St Paul's, Bryanston School, St Mary's, Calne, Barnwood Park School and Brighton College. The novel received positive reviews, with Mary McCarthy stating that "a solid dose of low brow, high quality, vintage Cooper is just what a girl needs".