Rupert Everett places a shapely ankle into Alistair Sims’ sensible court shoes as headmistress Camilla Fritton. He also plays her duplicitous art dealer brother Carnaby who uproots his daughter Annabelle (Talulah Riley) from Cheltenham Ladies’ College and casts her to the she-wolves of St. Trinian’s so he can continue his playboy lifestyle.

Russell Brand’s Flash Harry is a different kind of knock-off goods maestro to George Cole’s 1954 version. Younger and sexier, he’s a ducker and diver with a hard spot for head girl Kelly (Gemma Arterton). Channelling secretary / dominatrix sex appeal Kelly straddles the differing tribes within St. Trinian’s.

Leading the Geek pack is catwalk model Lily Cole, a super whiz on a computer. The Emos – short for emotionals – are self-harming teenage Goths with dripping black eyeliner and morbid life goals. The Trustafarians, headed by Juno Temple, provide the pot, the Chavs are a long way off Vicky Pollard, but never mind, and then there’s the Posh Totties – future girlfriends to the Royals.

We see the school through Annabelle’s eyes that anarchy still reigns at the most unorthodox school ever invented.

St Trinian’s is in debt to the tune of half a million and under threat to pull up its ankle socks from hard line education minister Geoffrey Thwaites (Firth). Thwaites and Miss Fritton used to have a thing at university, which is a mind-boggling prospect that comes to its full conclusion by the end of the film.

There are two main ‘gay’ subplots played for laughs by Everett, Brand and Firth. Considering Everett is openly queer, Brand has dabbled and Firth has played gay in the past only the hardest activist could take offence.

With the teachers (Toby Jones, Lena Headey and Celia Imrie) close to useless the girls realise they could end up in a normal school if St Trinian’s closes. They hatch a plan to steal Vermeer’s Girl With A Pearl Earring from The National Gallery and flog it to Carnaby Fritton. But first they need to win TV quiz show School Challenge first.

The schoolgirl pranks take on the feel of a new millennium where torture consists of filming a girl in the shower and then posting it on YouTube. Its contemporary approach doesn’t stretch to boys, sex or lesbian snogs because it’s sold as family entertainment. Parker, who directed Spice World, has created a school for empowered Spice Girls without the sex scandals, pregnancies and paternity tests.

There are lovely knowing connections with past British cinema and our familiarity with the cast. Firth has a ‘wet white shirt’ moment, Miss Fritton’s dog is called Mr D’Arcy and during a doleful episode Stephen Fry’s quizmaster is given uppers from the school receptionist. Everett based the headmistress on Camilla Parker-Bowles with pussy bow necklines and pendulous breasts that could easily fit under each arm. “Don’t you think I make a remarkable Queen?” he purrs and we all nod knowingly.

It’s these referential touches placing the audience in league with the writers that make St Trinian’s all the more fun. 

St Trinians opens in the UK on 21 December 2007

Find out how it all started with the St Trinian's Collection 4 Disc Box Set or why not go back to school with High School Musical, High School Musical 2 or some classic school shenanigans in Grease! Buy them online and save yourself some money.