Original subtitles

[ Cellphones chiming ]

[ Up-tempo music plays ]

-Come on, Zain! -Come on! Let's go!

Come on, Zain! Let's go!

TAHIRA: Yes, Hayley!

[ Indistinct shouting ]

JORDAN: Come on. We can't lose him.

-HAYLEY: Where's it gone? -This way here!

[ Indistinct shouting ]

[ Indistinct shouting ]

Oh! What's going on?!

HAYLEY: Back door! Quickly!

Jordan!

I thought we were chasing exam papers,

not flaming cat litter!

-Oi! -[ Shrieking ]

Get out my van!

-Go on! Clear off! -Whoo!

Mrs. Paracha!

Are you gonna vote for prom king and queen?

Oh! I got loads to do

with this bloody dinner dance prom thingy already.

You said it was a good idea.

That were before I were head caterer

and bloody bottle washer!

CORY: Hey, Jordan! Jordan.

Hey, I was at the unit last night.

They're letting Dad out.

He reckons he's messed up. He's asked if you'd come home.

He asked you to ask me, did he?

Come on. Don't leave me on me own with him.

He's spoken to the social workers.

He wants you to come home so that we can be a family again.

Jordan!

Jordan, you're being selfish.

What was the verdict?

Panel says that I am not responsible for Riz's accident.

I'm a teacher again.

Great.

So, what do you want to do?

I mean, I've got cover till the end of term.

Or you can come back now.

I think I'll sit this term out.

How's the place been getting on without me?

Well... [ Chuckles ]

It's exams and Ramadan, so it's manic,

verging on hysterical.

Uh, yeah, so...

Oh.

Could've sworn this was my office.

You know Darren, of course.

This is Barbara Hammer from the Valley Trust.

Mandy, I've heard so much about you.

Barbara got in touch last night wanting to meet.

-Informally. -Oh.

Can't get much more informal

than an ambush in your own office, can you?

So how can we help you?

I think it's the other way around.

The ABC's problems are common knowledge.

This is a failing school.

Your intake for next year is down by 36 places

which means you're a quarter of a million pounds short

on what you need to run the school.

Where did you hear that from?

DARREN: Mr. Nawaz's situation means he can't bail you out.

You can't afford to keep the school open

without selling off assets or major redundancies.

We can take over and cover your shortfall right now.

Won't you grab the lifeline, Mandy?

Our school is a bespoke academy, and it was set up

to join the two communities of this town together.

Can you honestly tell me that your trust will respect that?

So, no, thank you.

We don't need your lifeline.

That answers my question.

You know where to find me when you've come to your senses.

When I got her e-mail, I just wanted to say, "Get stuffed."

Yeah, we are not a carcass for the vultures just yet.

And 36, that's the new figure from yesterday.

Someone's fed them that. Someone here.

There's been an incident. Cat litter?

Trying to steal papers

from the exam board's van?

I've seen it all now.

MANDY: There are no shortcuts to GCSEs.

I will be expecting you all to...

Is it funny, is it, Zain?

No, miss.

Do you want to wait outside?

We'll have a chat about why it isn't.

[ Laughing ] Okay, miss.

I will be expecting you all to write apology e-mails

and send them to the cat litter company.

And I'll be calling your parents.

Understood?

-Yes, miss. -Yes, Miss Carter.

MANDY: Right. Back to class.

Jordan?

I thought you didn't care about your exams?

Well, I didn't, but I do now.

An art foundation course?

What, you found it on the Internet yourself?

You do know that college is like

two hours' drive down the motorway?

You'll have to move away from home for that.

Yeah, I know. That's why I chose it.

So, what do you need to get in?

GCSEs.

Show them samples of my work.

MANDY: Is that me?

It's actually quite good.

You don't think it's too late?

It's never too late to turn it 'round.

You just got to revise. Try hard.

[ Knock on door, door opens ]

Sorry to interrupt, Miss Carter.

Jordan, your new social worker's here.

Okay.

Do it, Jordan. You might surprise yourself.

See you later.

-He's not all bad, is he? -No.

Right. Can you tannoy Mr. Shah for me, please?

Yeah.

[ Door opens ]

So your dad, Kevin Wilson, would like you home.

We've done an assessment. Everything's fine.

Right, well, I don't want to go home.

Why not?

Look, you can't stay in foster care forever.

You just want me off your books, mate.

Costing you too much money and that.

Well, let's see if there's any other options.

Your mum.

That's not an option.

-Are you sure? -Yeah.

Is she still staying at that...

...what you call it?

Yeah, she's at...

What's so bad about your old man, then, eh?

Well, other than the fact that he batters me,

I'd probably say his cooking.

[ Exhales sharply ]

[ P.A. chimes ]

LORRAINE: Mr. Shah to the office immediately, please.

[ Students gasp ]

Mr. Shah's got detention.

-Ooh! -Ooh!

GIRL: Get to the office, sir.

-You wanted summat? -Yeah.

Have you been giving confidential information

to the Valley Trust?

Yeah, I have.

Look, that trust is our best hope.

You're burying your head in the sand,

and this school needs a leader.

Oh, right. And that's you, is it?

I mean, you don't care about

anybody that works here, any of the students.

No, I don't.

'Cause teaching isn't about bleeding hearts, Mandy.

It's about business.

What I care about is my career,

and I don't want to be part of a school that limps along

until the Department for Education

puts it out of its misery.

The staff need to be told that the school's in a hole.

There are gonna be redundancies.

There've got to be.

MANDY: Listen, Javid, you leave the staff to me.

What you should be concentrating on

is your students and their futures.

JAVID: These kids haven't got a future!

High achievers from here

will be lucky to trouble the McJob market.

That's us he's talking about.

You are unbelievable!

Every student in this school has potential.

-It's our job -- -Come on!

Monkeys with calculators could probably pass

more GCSEs than my Year 11s.

This ship is sinking, and you are taking us all down with it.

I'm not having this.

Whoa. Sit down.

Okay, let's go! Let's go!

[ Indistinct talking ]

Oh, my bag! Someone get...

ALYA: Oi! You snobby git!

How dare you call us that?!

I.D., please, Mr. Shah.

-You're making a mistake. -I don't think she is.

-We heard you. -STUDENTS: Yeah!

[ Laughter ]

JAVID: Well, you can stand by her,

but I'd ask your head teacher

how she's going to pay your salaries next year.

Huh!

Everybody get back to class! Go! Now!

Sir.

Thank you, Jordan.

Think again about going to see your dad, eh?

Candice.

Do you reckon you could borrow your grandpa's car?

CANDICE: We'll get into trouble

if we get caught with you driving.

Jordan?

See that woman serving drinks?

That's me mum, that.

Oh. Are you gonna go see her? Come on.

No! What are you doing?

What we here for, then?

-Are you scared? -No.

Just...

No, all right?

-Jordan. -No.

I want to know if Mr. Shah was telling the truth.

Everyone's bricking it, Mand.

We have the right to know, Miss Carter.

Are we getting taken over?

-Was he actually telling the... -All right!

Mr. Shah will not be coming back.

He's been doing some underhand work for a trust

that's been trying to take over the school.

Oh! So -- So we are in financial difficulty?

It's nothing out of the ordinary.

I mean, we all know how the schools

are being squeezed by central government.

But does this squeeze mean redundancies?

Well, that's me gone. Sports is always the first cut.

As far as I'm concerned,

Mr. Nawaz will stay as school sponsor,

and we will remain independent.

But what about our jobs?

You will still have jobs in September.

-I guarantee it. -Well, that's a relief.

Yeah, so, right now,

our Year 11s are about to do their exams.

So shall we just get out there, shall we, and be positive?

[ Indistinct talking ]

SAM: Is he okay?

CANDICE: No.

Jordan?

She's your mum.

She'd have been pleased to see you.

Do you reckon?

It's like exams. It's good to be nervous.

First day of exams!

Don't say owt, but I've done loads of revision.

I've done a bit.

Same here.

I've done nothing. I'm in trouble.

Same here, man.

I think I'll be okay.

Mainly, I'm really hungry. You get what I mean?

[ Girls squealing ]

I see Jack the Ripper's back.

She's just in to sit her exams.

We're still not talking.

SAM: She's your sister. Why don't you sort it?

That's it, everyone. Pens down.

Time's up.

[ Indistinct talking ]

[ Glasses clinking ]

You all right, love?

Um...

It's me.

Jordan.

Wilson.

I didn't recognize you.

I just wanted to come and see you.

I don't really, um,

remember you that much.

Dad's in hospital.

I-I'm in care at the moment.

Cory wants me to go back home

so I can help me dad once he gets out of hospital.

I'm doing my GCSEs at the moment.

What about you? You worked here long?

It's our pub. I own it with Ian, me bloke.

Him?

-So you live here, then? -No.

I mean, we used to. Flat upstairs.

But we've got an house now.

-Who lives in the flat? -No one.

Could I?

Don't be daft.

Why not?

Because -- Because you just can't.

You've got an empty flat up there.

Stop it, Jordan.

I wouldn't be any hassle.

You're me mum.

I don't know you.

Look, I'm sorry, but you can't just turn up

and just expect after 10 years like nothing happened.

I'm a different person now.

Back then I didn't know owt.

I had to get away.

I was young.

You must understand.

IAN: Sarah? Everything all right?

You should go.

-[ Heartbeat ] -WOMAN: There's the heartbeat.

And the arms and legs.

It appears to be a healthy baby.

[ Sniffles ]

[ Sobs ]

Mandy?

I've lied.

Excuse me, love. Can you just give us a second, please?

I've lied to the staff.

'Cause I told them their jobs were safe, and they're not.

-[ Sobs ] -[ Door opens ]

WOMAN ON P.A.: Can Dr. Taylor please come to the reception?

-[ Door closes ] -[ Sobs ]

With Sadiq broke,

there's been a new trust

sniffing about on throwing us a lifeline.

The staff might be safe, but the school...

They would change things.

And the kids...

Mand, Mand.

When an academy gets taken over,

the old head is always the first to go.

I know.

We've got a kid on the way. If both of us aren't working...

But you can teach again

and, I mean, I'll get a job somewhere.

If your school gets taken over, no one's gonna touch you.

[ Sobbing ]

If you want to keep your job, you --

you stick with Sadiq.

For once, just put yourself first.

[ Exhales sharply ]

MISSY: I did really well!

I wrote about 11 pages. Can you believe it?

How'd it go?

Miss guessed the right question on "Romeo and Juliet."

-We'd all practiced it. -I can't help being a genius.

I do not bite my thumb at you, miss.

But I bite my thumb at you, miss!

CHLOE: Good call, Mum.

-Are you all right, Mand? -Yes, yeah.

I'm just proud of you, that's all. Well done.

CANDICE: Isn't that right, Jordan?

-What? -Your mum owns a pub.

Yeah.

Let's go! Celebrate.

Yeah, man. Why not?

SAM: Come on!

[ Indistinct talking ]

You all right, Mum?

Thought I'd bring some mates 'round, if that's all right.

-What's he doing here? -SARAH: I'll sort it.

You're my new stepdad, then, I take it?

-Look here, son... -"Son"?

That's nice, innit?

Tell you what, then, Daddy,

can me and my mates have a round?

We're out celebrating. We've nearly finished our exams.

Look, I know who you are, and I don't care.

Makes both of you then, don't it?

Got something in common.

You can have a couple of soft drinks, and then you go.

Jordan, please.

You hear that? My mum says we can have a drink.

On the house.

[ Cheering ]

[ Indistinct talking ]

BOY: Go on. Go on.

GIRL: You ready?

BOY: Go on, go on!

[ Laughter ]

No, I can't sodding help it.

-Ohhhh! -Ohhhh!

[ Cheering ]

Right, you lot, that's it! Out now! The lot of you, out!

Oh, calm down, man. We're only playing.

No, he's right. Out! I've had enough.

What, so soon? I've only just got back into your life.

Oi, shut it. Out.

Make me.

Make you?

[ Indistinct shouting ]

Get off of me!

Jordan! I've got you! Come on, Jordan!

Get off! Get off me!

Get off him! Off him, pal! Off him!

-What's wrong with you?! -You're what's wrong with me!

Your dad brought you up! This is all him!

You were nothing to do with me, and you're just like him!

-Shut up! -CANDICE: Jordan, don't.

No, don't talk about my dad, yeah,

when he did everything he could for us.

Put a roof over our head, fed us, cared for us.

-Bus! -But it wasn't you, were it?

And I always hated him for that.

CANDICE: Come on, Jordan. She's not worth it.

-No. -Come on, man.

I blamed him 'cause you weren't there.

And now I'm glad you weren't, 'cause you're a selfish bitch.

-Shut your mouth! -SAM: Candice, come on.

What were it you said to me the other day?

That -- That you were young and that you just couldn't cope?

I were young, Mum. I were six years old.

-Hurry up! -Jordan, come on!

Come on. Come on.

Guys, come on, get yourself inside.

Come on.

[ Glass breaks ]

[ Door opens ]

-[ Door opens ] -[ Indistinct talking on TV ]

[ Door closes ]

CORY: Jordan.

It's okay.

MAN: She said Jordan and some mates

were 'round causing trouble.

CORY: You were lucky the fire were put out.

-MAN: Can I see him? -KEVIN: He's asleep, Officer.

MAN: Did he just come in?

KEVIN: No, he's been in all night.

MAN: What time were he in?

KEVIN: He came back during Corrie, so...

I can't believe you saw Mum.

KEVIN: There isn't a problem, is there?

How was she?

-MAN: Just following up. -KEVIN: Oh. Okay.

-MAN: Okay. -KEVIN: Yeah. Good night.

-MAN: Good night, Mr. Wilson. -[ Door closes ]

How come you didn't tell them?

'Cause you're my son.

[ Door opens ]

[ Door closes ]

Hey.

Are you just gonna ignore me forever?

What have you actually got against lesbians? Like...

Nothing.

But how come I was the last to know?

I thought we spoke about everything.

NASREEN: We do, but...

I-I didn't want you to be stuck with a secret

that you didn't know what to do with.

I'm sorry. I-I am sorry.

I miss you.

I miss you too.

I didn't want to hurt you.

Okay?

Now can we be roommates again, please?

Well, Nana's snoring has made me fail every exam so far.

-So, yeah. -Yes!

And I'll talk to Mum, and I'll talk to Miss Carter

so that you can get to go to prom, okay?

All right.

And your time begins now.

Are we doing the right thing?

Clinging on to this school.

This trust, they can't be trusted.

We need to hold out.

But the term's nearly over,

and we're still short of Year 7s.

We just don't have the funds for next year.

I'll find the money.

I've got contacts. Someone in this town will want to help.

Sadiq, this whole town is skint.

I know.

This big trust, they won't care about why we set this place up.

-They don't care about our kids! -I know. I know.

I just think it's better for our kids to have a school

than to have no school whatsoever.

We should take the lifeline from the trust.

Okay. Time's up. Put your pens down, please.

And that, everyone, is the end of your GCSEs.

[ Cheering ]

Well done.

Now that exams are over, I need a date for prom.

I'll pick you up at 5:30 tomorrow.

Dress nice.

Jordan, you've barely written in your paper.

No point, is there, miss?

I'm not going anywhere, am I?

Oh, where's my other shoe?!

-Whose is this bloody earring?! -Oh, I've been looking for that!

KANEEZ: Okay, let's all go and have a great time.

-Don't forget me. -Missy, you look beautiful.

-[ Chuckles ] Thanks. -[ Horn honks ]

HAYLEY: Riz! [ Squeals ]

I hope he's wearing a tux!

RAZIA: Remember, play it cool, like we said.

I'm Hayley Booth. I'm super cool.

-[ Door opens ] -Oh, my days!

-Oh, mind me neck. Mind me neck. -[ Screams ]

-His halo's off! -What?

What's with all the screaming?

-[ Screams ] -Oh, wow!

Oh, my God! That is amazing.

That is so amazing!

KANEEZ: Oh! Riz won!

So lucky.

[ Doorbell rings ]

What?

Whoa.

Come on, make yourself useful.

I've got to Instagram this.

Right.

Say "cheesy feet."

-Cheesy feet! -[ Camera shutter clicks ]

-Come on! -[ Camera shutter clicks ]

Get your bloody outfit on. You're gonna miss it all.

That's the idea.

Do one.

Uh... Saleem, are you gonna be okay?

Yeah.

Who needs prom?

Who needs pizza?

Whoa! [ Laughs ]

-[ Up-tempo music playing ] -Oh, my goodness.

-You like it? -I love it.

Oh, thanks.

Oh, thank you. Oh.

Oh, and thank you.

Oh, yeah, that's just what I wanted.

Good evening, Ackley Bridge Year 11s!

[ Cheering ]

I'd just like to say how, uh --

how incredibly proud I am of you all.

[ Cheering ]

Sir! Sir! Hang on a second.

Hang on. Excuse me, miss.

Right, it's my turn, eh?

This school is brilliant.

I thank you for having the idea

of putting us together and believing in us.

-[ Cheering ] -Browns and whites.

I'm going to be honest --

This time last year,

I didn't know any white people

that weren't ordering curry off me dad.

[ Laughter ]

But now look. I've got loads of white mates!

And your dad gives us curry for free!

[ Laughter ]

[ Laughs ] Well, I want everybody to say it with me.

[ Chanting ] Ack! Ack! Ack!

-Ack! Ack! Ack! -Ack! Ack! Ack!

Yo, Mr. Simpson! Let's get this party started!

[ Up-tempo music plays ]

-Wow. -Yeah, I know.

I did not expect that.

Come on, sir. Go on, sir.

Whoo!

CANDICE: Listen, I've been thinking about next year.

I'm getting a job.

I can start at Lidl as soon as I want.

You know, stacking shelves.

And our kid says I can sublet his flat.

Jamie loves you,

and he already thinks that you're his dad anyway.

-No, no, no, no. -So maybe we could try again.

-Jordan? -No.

I'm not staying here with you or anyone else!

Look at you all, mate!

Pathetic!

Who are you trying to kid?

You've got nothing, and you're going nowhere!

It's all a lie. Can't you see that?

Our teachers have got a job

'cause we keep on squirting out kids.

They're just gonna do the same to the next bunch.

Tell them!

Mandy. Come on, tell them the truth.

Fancy dress night for one night.

There's no more dreams left for us, mate.

MANDY: Jordan. Jordan.

Jordan! Jordan!

-Jordan, calm down! -You just don't get it, do you?!

I'm trapped here.

Every time I try and do summat, I just blow it.

-No, you don't. -Yeah.

You don't.

I tried to burning my mum's pub down.

And me dad had to lie to the coppers.

For me.

So now I can't leave.

[ Sighs ] Dad's ill.

I need to be home.

Come on. Come on, let's talk.

Come here.

It was a stupid thing to do, that -- the pub.

I mean, you could really have hurt someone.

You could have ruined the rest of your life.

And you're wrong, you know?

What you said in the hall.

You can dream.

I wouldn't be doing my job if kids like you

didn't dream of having a better life.

I tried, miss.

-Don't work anymore. -Don't say that, Jordan.

Come on.

I've got enough dreams for the both of us.

[ Footsteps ]

So you've come to your senses.

I want the Valley Trust to take over.

Everyone thought we were mad

opening up this integrated school.

But this school works.

If I can't continue to make it work, then...

...I really hope you can.

We'll take good care of it. I promise.

Do we have a deal?

There you go, love.

That's yours there.

Hello. Morning.

Come on.

Jordan Wilson.

I passed! Four for everything!

-[ Squeals ] -Oh, well done, Missy!

Me too!

Well done! You both did brilliantly!

-[ Smooching ] -Thanks, miss.

Level eight in English language and English literature!

-Oh! -[ Laughs ]

Jordan.

Miss Carter told me you stunk the place out with your exams.

I'm taking you for a drive.

Do I need to ring Childline, sir?

Get in.

Are you just trying to rub it in, sir?

Miss Carter told me what you said at prom.

She's got you an interview.

Here's your portfolio.

What do I say?

You say, "I really want to be on this course.

It's the only course I've ever been excited by.

My life will be complete if you take me in."

Jordan, this could change your life.

They've got halls. You could move out.

Come on, just really give it a go.

Come on.

Come on.

Why do you want to do our art foundation?

I just really like art and that.

Who are your favorite artists? Who inspires you?

I don't know. I like, um, graffiti and that.

Anyone in particular?

Uh, don't know. Um...

Can I look at your work?

Yeah.

[ Chair screeches ]

I really want to do this course.

Um, because it's really good.

[ Laughs ]

Is this you?

Yeah. I, uh -- I do a few of my teachers.

That's my head teacher -- Miss Carter.

She, uh, acts like she's a right bossy, but she's not.

She's sound in real life.

That's it, then, innit?

I'm a failure. I've blown that.

-Come on. You don't mean that. -Yeah, I do.

[ Cellphone rings ]

Jordan.

Hello.

Thank you.

They've offered you a place.

You have to resit maths and English,

but you'll be on the course by the time you do them.

You're in.

[ Laughs ]

Whoa, whoa!

Get in!

What about Dad?

You've just moved home. He needs you.

This is a proper course at a college. It's a good thing.

This college has got a room for me.

It's selfish!

That's what it is.

Am I being selfish?

Sometimes being selfish is the right thing to do.

It'll work for you.

Just like it did for Mum?

Yeah.

Like it did for Mum.

[ Sighs ]

[ Door opens ]

If you go quietly,

I'm sure they can give you a good reference.

Judas.

[ Door opens ]

Uh, right.

You could have at least let me clear my desk first.

Mandy.

We want you to stay.

You do?

Um, why?

Continuity.

You've proved very resourceful.

The GCSE results for a new school with this catchment area

are encouraging.

If we could bottle what you've done,

we'd take over every school in the country.

So you still want me to be head?

Yes.

We want you to work for us and continue what you're doing.

It's a new era for Ackley Bridge College,

and I think you have a great future with the Valley Trust.

So, what do you say?

Um...

[ Exhales sharply ]

-This everything? -JORDAN: Yeah.

KEVIN: Well, look after yourself.

JORDAN: Yeah.

Just give us a ring when you can, yeah?

Yeah.

He's nearly as stubborn as you.

Come here.

I'll see you, son.

-JORDAN: See you later. -Yeah.

[ Car door closes ]

[ Engine starts ]

[ Car departing ]

Jordan!

Jordan, stop the car!

I'm gonna miss you.

I'll come back.

Don't.

Someday I want to walk into that town center,

and I want to see a book or a painting

or a comic or whatever,

and I want to say that our kid did that.

So don't come back.

Just go and be brilliant.

Okay?

I love you.

I love you too, man.

Be safe.

[ Engine starts ]

Ready?

Yeah, man.

* Doo doo-doo *

Um, okay, what is with the dressing gown?

I'm going to be in sixth form!

Oh, my God, Missy! That's amazing!

-I know! -Oh, well done! Have a drink!

-Ahh! Whoa! -Whoa!