A.J. Wentworth is a considerate, old fashioned maths master at Burgrove Preparatory School during the Forties. He has no control over his class and his colleagues undermine his authority from afar. He is prone to disaster in whatever task he undertakes but is resigned to the outcome and never complains when it fails. He is obsessed with the honour of the school - and then there's his arch enemy, Matron!