If you think back to the first time you were sent to wait outside the heads study the worst thing was probably the anticipation.
At my junior school the dreaded summons came as I was busy swapping jokes with a neighbour during assembly.
So busy were we that neither of us noticed that the headmistress had stopped talking and the entire school were watching us with bated breath.
“You two boys at the back having a private conversation go and wait outside my office”.
This formidable woman scared my sister so badly that my mother only had to mention her name to get her to eat her greens.