The New Worst Witch

Miss Hardbroom is horrified to find Mona using a battery operated food processor in class and decides her pupils' lives are far too easy. She institutes a "back to basics" regime, and Miss Cackle is happy to go along with the plan and save the school money. The teachers spend the saving on a waffle maker for the Staff Room but Miss Swoop accidentally causes the machine to explode and blow a huge hole in the ceiling. To pay for the repairs they must tighten their belts still further. Meanwhile, Belladonna has made a Witch Pox potion and infects first Dyllis, then Horrocks, and finally Miss Widget with the fatal disease. Even Miss Hardbroom can't cure the victims without the right ingredients, until Cressie and Hettie save the day again.

As part of her Hedgewitch training, Cressie must perform a task of friendship. But when she learns the task is to shake hands with her worst enemy she knows it won't be easy, as her worst enemy is Belladonna. Hettie offers to help but Cressie insists she must do this alone. As usual, Hettie thinks she knows better and her interventions land them both into big trouble with Miss Hardbroom. The whole school is told to support their team in the inter school football finals, but Mona hasn't finished tidying the library. She casts an enchantment spell on the books with terrible consequences, but at least it gives Cressie a chance to rescue Belladonna.

Miss Hardbroom announces it is time for the school's annual pet inspection and Miss Swoop confides in Miss Widget that she has a crush on the Inspector, Mr Chalmers, although he never seems to notice her. But, Belladonna sees his visit as the perfect opportunity to finally get rid of Hettie's annoying dog, Kittie. She prepares a potion, which Kittie greedily devours and he starts to grow at an alarming rate. Very soon he is 40 foot high and still growing! Hettie needs to think (and talk) fast to keep her giant pet hidden from Hardbroom and the Inspector. As usual, Hettie is determined to be the best witch that the academy has ever seen, with a little help from her friends, Mona Hallow and Cressie Winterchild of course. There's two witches standing in their way however, arch rival enemy Belladonna Bindweed and teaching tyrant Miss Hardbroom.

Hettie Hubble has once again caused chaos at Cackles and the East Wing is out of action. Now all the girls must share rooms until it can be repaired. Hettie is thrilled to be sharing with Cressie. Mona is not pleased to learn her new room mate is Belladonna. But sharing a room turns out not to be so much fun when Hettie discovers how loudly Cressie snores. After a sleepless night, Hettie finally snaps at her friend in Potions Class. Cressie tells her not to worry, her Mum always used a special lullaby to stop her snoring at home. That night Hettie takes out the spell and holds it under her candle. She is half way through when the paper catches light. Quickly she extinguishes the flame but the spell seems to have worked. Cressie is sleeping like a baby. But when Hettie wakes the following morning that's exactly what she finds!

It is near the end of term and the pupils at Cackles are facing tests. Dyllis knows she'll fail flying and enlists Hettie's help for some secret lessons in the woods. Meanwhile Mona is struggling with Miss Widget's set task - to create something "uniquely you" - and she is determined to get an A at any cost. Dyllis and Hettie find an owl in the woods and Dyllis convinces herself he helps her to fly. She takes him back to school and hides it in her room. The owl is, in fact, The Pentangles' School mascot and an emotional Miss Pentangle arrives at Cackles to look for her pet. A row erupts between the two rival Headmistresses and Miss Pentangle casts a spell. If the mascot is not returned before sunset, Cackles Academy will turn to dust...

The girls are excited about a special weekend trip to Witch World theme park but the treat is cancelled when Miss Cackle appears to have fallen victim to the dreaded Witch Fever and the school is put into quarantine. All the girls are disappointed but Hettie is devastated, not least because everyone seems to think she is somehow to blame for letting the disease out into the school. With Miss Cackle in the Sick Bay, Miss Hardbroom is secretly relishing being in total control of the school and institutes a programme of organised weekend activities, which must be undertaken in silence. The special weekend has turned into a nightmare and everyone knows who to blame. But Hettie, as ever, has a plan...

Hettie is in serious trouble. Cackles Accademy operates a "three strikes and out" policy and Hettie has already had two warnings. If she gets another she will be expelled from the school forever. Her best friends, Cressie and Mona, try to help her but Hettie thinks she has found the perfect solution to her problem when Caspian asks her to deliver a bottle of obedience potion to Miss Swoop. Hettie takes a large gulp and tops the bottle up with ink. At first it seems to work and Hettie is a model of good behaviour. But Belladonna finds out what she has done and sets Hettie a terrible task, which she MUST obey...

Once every seven years, it is Wish Day at Cackles, following an ancient tradition when the pupils are allowed one special wish at the magic well in the forest. But the teachers know that Wish Day is not real. The magic water in the well dried up years ago and nowadays the teachers make the girls' wishes come true themselves. Mona doesn't believe in any of this nonsense and prefers to put her faith in science. When she is challenged by Miss Cackle, she declares proudly that she can do without magic completely. Miss Cackle accepts the challenge but when she discovers Mona cheating, she secretly zaps her with a disabling spell to teach her a lesson. And it is not long before Mona realizes that magic is actually a very valuable asset. As usual, Hettie is determined to be the best witch that the academy has ever seen, with a little help from her friends, Mona Hallow and Cressie Winterchild of course. There's two witches standing in their way however, arch rival enemy Belladonna Bindweed and teaching tyrant Miss Hardbroom.