Paddington Goes to School (1986)

With “Paddington” blithely going through life untroubled by anything that didn’t involve marmalade, he is suddenly commanded to go to school. He takes this new task seriously - he even has a bath! Next morning, he sets off to “St. Luke’s” where he meets his teacher whom he immediately corrects on the spelling of the so-called three Rs (he correctly points out there is really only the one R). Determined to be rid of this benignly disruptive influence, “Paddington” is sent to the garden to dig for worms for the biology lesson but when he goes to lunch, there is soon some doubt as to where the worms have ended up. Is the stew a little chewier than usual? Summoned to the headmaster’s office, he takes a bit of a nap and imagines himself as a bit of a one-man circus entertaining the parents of his classmates - and that gives him a chance to demonstrate his skills as a virtuoso violinist, a mean weightlifter and an enthusiast can-can dancer. Bert Chapple’s instantly recognisable music sets the tone for this enjoyable animation that celebrates the naive and friendly young bear always honest and keen to see the best in people, and with the last segment of this jolly tale allowing a little dressing-up too, “Paddington” is clearly having some fun whilst respecting the loving teachings of his Peruvian “Aunt Lucy”. Good fun, this.