Original subtitles

- Tell Audrey we're dating and you're off the hook. - We're not dating.

- She doesn't know that.

- The Teach Direct programme? - Yep.

- A probationer from a fast-track scheme with zero experience?

- You're always so full of it. Always dissing other people,

always showing off to sad wannabes with fake tans and push-up bras. - Kenzie!

- How did it go with Mrs Mulgrew?

- I'd much rather you taught me to read.

- As an English teacher, she's in a better position to help you than I am.

- If Kenzie has a learning support assistant in class,

we won't be able to keep this quiet.

- Please, work with me on this one.

Do you have that geography test today? - I don't know, Mum.

- They moved you up a year in those subjects

because you're bright. You can't afford to let things slide.

I want an A, nothing less.

- Oi, posho!

Oi!

- Why can't you just leave me alone?

- I just need a wee favour.

- You don't mind doing a favour for your mates, do you?

- Leave her! - Er, what do you care?

- She's a mate, all right? Ju... Just back off.

- Well, we need someone to give us the answers to the geography test later,

and she's it. - Little Miss Brainiac.

- Lisa? - Hey, Lisa Brown, leave her.

- I know we need new talent, new teachers, but...

- But you don't want to cut corners,

and neither do I, and that's not what this is about. Morning, Sonya.

- Six weeks' formal training and straight in the classroom. What would you call it?

- Cutting down on red tape. Look, he'll be here in a minute.

Let's give him the benefit of the doubt till we see what he's made of.

- Fine. But if I see these kids getting anything other

than the education they deserve, I won't be keeping my mouth shut. - I wouldn't expect anything else.

- First day? - I didn't think it'd be so hard to find my way around.

- Follow me, I'm heading to Mr Fitzgerald's office.

I'm not sure what the registration process is

but I'm guessing that's not a bad place to drop you.

Do you know what class you've got first period?

- Sorry, mate, my brain's like a sieve sometimes.

- Look, I know you're new here but I'm not your mate

and nor are any of the other teachers. A bit of respect, OK?

- Marco, good to see you.

You remember my deputy, Lorna Hutchinson? - Course I do.

Before we get started, new pupil.

Found him wandering the corridors. I think he could do with a timetable

and pointing towards his first class. - Of course.

Wouldn't like to see the look on your teacher's face

if you were late for your first class.

- And after that I reckon I need a proper talking to.

As I'm still in school at 23,

I'm guessing I have not been paying attention in class...

- Am I missing something here? - Sorry, mate, couldn't resist.

- I should have made you both aware.

We actually have two graduate teachers starting today.

Guy came through the Teach Direct scheme.

- Right, well. Hilarious(!)

- Not every bloke in a hoodie's a teenage delinquent.

- So obviously this is a bit of an experiment.

We have one of you who came the conventional route

and the other one not. I don't want either of you

to feel you're being thrown in at the deep end. - Good, cos I can't swim.

- HE LAUGHS

- I was on the beach in Bali six weeks ago

and now I'm going to be a teacher. How mad is that?

- Pretty mad.

- Right, well, I will be mentoring one of you

and Ms Hutchinson the other.

Shall I point you in the direction of the classrooms?

- Six weeks' training. Is this for real?

- Something tells me you're not going to be the only one asking that.

- Mulgrew won't be there in geography

so you'd better be passing us the answers.

Yeah?

- She's got the message.

Later, toffee nose.

- SHE LAUGHS

You need to learn to keep your head down. - What?

- If you want the likes of them to leave you alone.

No more getting As, no more putting your hand up in class.

Trust me.

- Look, about Lisa.

She can be like that.

She doesn't mean it, really. - I think she does, actually.

- I'll have a word with her and see if she can lay you off a bit.

- Beep, beep, teacher coming through! VIP, on the way to...

- What are you doing here?!

- I thought you were at Havelock High. - Does it look like I'm at Havelock?!

- TANNOY RINGS

'I would like to ask all staff and pupils to give a warm

'Waterloo Road welcome to our new teachers,

'Mr D'Olivera, joining the science department,

'and Mr Braxton from graphics and product design.'

- First person to locate that contraption

and throw it in a skip wins a prize.

- I don't suppose you know what Vaughan's thinking

with all this Teach Direct stuff? - He likes to give people a chance.

Not that I'm convinced this is the right way to go about it.

- Let's give the lad a chance, shall we, before we judge?

- Where will it all end? That's the big question.

I mean, why don't we just get Jimmy from the corner shop in

to take a few lessons? Or the lollipop lady?

I mean, who knows, they might all have "natural talent".

At least we knew the dinner lady could cook

before she started teaching it.

- Ah, George. Coming from you, that's quite the compliment.

- There Will Be Blood. - Yeah, that's one way of putting it.

- No, no. I mean for tonight. Girls' movie night?

I thought we'd go for There Will Be Blood.

I was toying with Marley & Me,

but until I can locate my waterproof mascara, that is a definite no-no.

- Movie night, again?

- Mm. Unless you've got any other plans.

- Actually, George has asked me round to his tonight.

- You two are seeing a lot of each other.

Are you...? - Oh, we don't want to put a label on it or anything...

- Mum's the word.

If you want the house to yourself, just tell me.

The last thing I'd ever want to be is a third wheel.

BELL RINGS - Thanks, Audrey. You're...a real pal.

Marco D'Olivera.

- So which one are you? Brainless and untrained, or just brainless?

- Hi.

- Sorry, got held up.

Looks like it's just you and me against the world, buddy.

- I'll be fine on my own, thanks.

- Hey, yeah, it's me.

Look, I'm in a bit of hot water here. Help me out?

- You wanted to see me? - Steph Norton just rang, Carrie's mum.

- She's heard about the PTA and she wants to be involved.

- Well, I say "wants". "Demanded" is probably a better word.

- Great. Sounds like just what we need,

a parent who actually cares about the school.

How are things going with Kenzie?

- We're making progress.

Slowly. We'll get there eventually.

- Well, if you need me to pitch in... - No need.

Once I've built up her confidence

I'm sure she'll come on leaps and bounds.

- Oh!

Nice shoes. Where did you get them? - Er...

Can't remember. They're nothing special,

just what I flung on this morning.

- Morning, boys. - Good morning, Mrs Fitzgerald.

- Oi, Head Boy.

On your head. - Mature(!)

- Sorry, what did you say there?

I couldn't hear you with all them plums in your mouth, Head Boy.

- Stop calling me that.

- Audiobooks? Who listens to audiobooks?

I think the point of English

is that we're actually meant to read the books.

- Yeah, well, we can't all be swots like you were last year, so...

- Do you fancy hitting the chippy after school?

I've got a mad craving for fritters. - No. I've got to go.

- What did you say to her?

- Relax, I actually like Kenzie.

Do you think I'm going to hurt her

by blowing your grubby little secret?

- Enjoying your first day, sir?

- Just another day for me, nothing to worry about.

- Er, sir, where's all the Bunsen burners?

- The only equipment you'll need to listen is your ears.

Sit down.

- Don't mind me.

Oh, I'll be nipping out halfway through to check on Mr Braxton

so just carry on. - Absolutely.

Right, settle down and listen, please. Textbooks open to page 10.

- PUPILS CHAT LOUDLY

- Anyone know where the

textbooks are? Anyone?

- Don't know, sir. The teacher normally gives them out.

- WOLF WHISTLE

Nice tech, sir. - No talking.

Now, reactive metals and non-reactive metals

have to be extracted from the earth in different ways.

No questions till I've finished.

Reactive metals have to be extracted by electrolysis

while non-reactive, or less reactive metals,

can be extracted by reaction with carbon.

OK, turn to page 12, please.

- Try that one on the left, there.

Oh, no, no. Sorry, sir, no. They're not in there.

Try that one on the right there.

- Toilet break, sir.

- Wait, aren't you meant to have a note or something?

- Are you mad? That's against my human rights.

- Sorry. Yeah, OK, go ahead.

- PUPILS LAUGH

CLASS IS QUIET

SHE SIGHS

- Bonnie, you only scraped a D.

What does that mean?

- Kenzie failed English, didn't do her any harm.

- Well, I'm not talking about Kenzie.

- Half the people in here got a D, why are you hassling me?

- OK, outside.

Now.

What happened to you over the holidays?

Did you stay in the bath too long

and your brains floated out your ears or something?

Bonnie, I know you had a bit of a hard time last term,

and I know being singled out as the clever one isn't easy,

but not using the brains you were born with...

You're only hurting yourself.

- Just cos your life's over,

don't blame me for not wanting to sit in and study all the time, OK?

- OK. Um...

I want to see you back here before lunchtime.

- What?! - No arguments.

Maybe under my watchful eye you might knuckle down

and actually achieve something. In.

- Are you all right?

- Why wouldn't I be?

- Dunno, it just seemed like...

Do you know that new teacher from somewhere?

You seemed a bit upset

and I thought you might know him from somewhere.

- If I'm upset about anything, it's your cow of a sister.

- Oh, look, wait. Don't go, I'm sorry!

- What's up with you?

- Nothing.

- Ooh! Lickle Lenny's got a big crush, has he?

Mate, if you want any tips about how to, you know, treat the ladies,

I'm here for you, any time.

- Just leave it, mate. She probably doesn't even like me anyway.

- No way. She got her eye on someone else, has she?

- Look, I know today was a bit of a... - Bit of a shambles?

- Me and textbooks don't get on that well.

I just need to get to get my head around coursework and so on.

- Everybody struggles on their first day. Don't worry.

I will be your mentor. You have any questions, any problems,

I will be your first port of call.

- I'm getting the impression you're in a minority of one as a fan

of Teach Direct. - Mmm.

People resist change. Take no notice.

Although it would really help me

if you didn't fall completely flat on your face.

- Your new recruits are the talk of the staff room.

- Today's news, tomorrow's chip paper. - Mmm.

- Come on, then, let's get it over with. - What?

- Whatever it is you have to say. You've got your serious face on.

Your "we need to talk" face.

- Leo seems practically superglued to that computer of his these days.

- Well, they're all glued to one screen or another.

I've been confiscating phones and mobile hand-held thingies all week.

- He just doesn't seem quite himself. He used to be so sociable.

- I can't say that I've seen any change.

- Right. Well, it's not a complaint. I'm just flagging it up.

How're they settling into the flat?

- They're very well, and Leo is doing fine with me.

And if there is any change I will let you know,

and thank you for your concern, and goodbye.

- Oh, my God!

You're never going to believe this! - What?

Tell us before you explode.

- You know that fit new teacher, Mr Braxton?

He's only gone and accepted my friend request.

- Why do you want to be mates with some teacher?

- Because he's fit, der!

And soon he'll be mine, all mine.

- You girls need help, seriously.

- She texted, she's on her way down here.

- It's fine. She's not going to see me, I promise.

- If Mum finds out, she'll go spare.

I promised her I'd never see you again.

- OK. We'll just have to make sure she doesn't find out this time, won't we?

I've got to get to the staff room, start charming everyone.

Don't worry.

- What you doing here?

- He only started here today. How is it that you two know each other?

- We don't. - Yeah, you do. I'm not blind.

- Stay out of my life, you weirdo!

- Have you heard? Looks like you've drawn the short straw when it comes to mentors.

- Right. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do great.

Between you and me, I don't reckon I'll need much mentoring.

Mr Fitzgerald obviously agrees I'm the stronger candidate or

he'd have taken me on himself. - I'm not planning on holding your hand.

But teacher training can seem like a holiday compared

to being in a school day-to-day. - I'm pretty confident.

In fact, two years from now I see myself as head of department.

Five years, deputy head.

- You were in petrochemicals before teacher training, right?

- You've done your homework.

- I'd imagine that's all career progression, high stakes. Pressure?

- Not really. - I'm not making a judgment.

I'm just saying it's different here. Education throws curve balls at you.

Sometimes plans don't always work out,

mergers are proposed out of the blue. - Mergers?

- Oh, you don't know about that?

- It's not like you, sitting on your tod over break

when you could be having a goss.

- Just fancied a bit of peace and quiet, that's all.

- Well, can you see that our lord and master gets this?

It's just some key targets for the home ec department. - Oh, for...!

- Oh, it's all right. Doesn't matter.

- SOBS LOUDLY

- Sonya, what's the matter? OK.

Come on, spill.

It can't be worse than anything I've heard

over at the schoolhouse.

- Oh, Maggie!

- Oi! - What? We're out and proud now, aren't we?

- Only to Audrey, remember?

And it doesn't give you licence to sexually harass me

in the workplace. - No fun any more.

- If I'd known this place was a sinking ship, I'd have applied

to Havelock.

- I wouldn't let Vaughan hear you talk like that, if I were you.

- You'd think they'd have the decency to warn us.

There's a merger on the table.

This place might not exist in a few months' time.

- What, seriously? - Two new teachers here, who knows how many there.

It's going to be dog eat dog. - We're not even in the same department.

- Doesn't matter, it's all about funding.

Half the teaching staff'll be made redundant, probably.

The chances of them keeping us both on are virtually nil.

- What do you think's going on?

- I don't know, man. But it looked dodgy.

He was...you know.

He was touching her.

What if she's in trouble?

I mean, he's got to be, what, 20?

And he's a teacher.

- What if you go to Fitzgerald and they just deny it?

It's going to be their word against yours.

- I can't.

- Oi, Head Boy.

I bet you a tenner I can get you suspended by the end of the week.

- I'll put a few quid on that.

- See? Everybody sees it.

- Thanks for the support.

- It's not my fault you made it so easy for him.

- So. Planning, Research, Execution,

Processing, Analysis...

..Results and Evaluation.

Or "PREPARE", as I like to call it.

- QUIETER: - Or "PREPARE", as I like to call it...

- LOUDER: - Or..."PREPARE", as I like to call it.

- Hiya.

Do you need anything?

Like pupils?

Or do you want to ask me anything?

- No, I, er...think I've got it covered.

- Maybe about the pupils?

- Pupils? - You know, two arms, two legs, bags of attitude.

You've got S5 and S6 later. Year Six can be quite tough.

- Really, I'm fine. - OK.

Well, you know where I am.

I'll leave you to your...preparing thing.

- Hey, Leo.

I've got one word for you.

Bffffff....

Bowling. - You what?

- It's perfect. Group activity, gets us out and about.

You used to love beating me at stuff when you were younger.

- Um... You know what, Dad, I'm all right.

Thanks, anyway.

- Sooner the better, I think. PC Fairchild?

- Yep, good for me. - Great.

Can't wait to get started, get the PTA up and running.

- Scotty! - What are you doing here?

- Oh, it's just PTA stuff.

Listen, will you remind your mum I'm on a late shift tonight

so I won't be home for tea? - All right.

- See you at home. - See you at home.

- Well, well, well...

A copper's son.

- HE TUTS

HE LAUGHS

- The...cat...only...gr...

gr...in...ned...

- Keep going. - I can't. - Kenzie...

- This is a kids' book. You know that, right?

And I can't even...

- Keep going. Take it slowly.

We'll get there.

- Still...it...had...

very...long...cla...

claws...and...a...

great...many teeth.

- You're getting some real fluency going.

Next stop, War And Peace.

- DOOR OPENS

- So...she...

- Oh, I didn't know you were in here.

OK, Bonnie. About turn.

- How come you're allowed that?

I thought we were supposed to get detention for having one of those in school?

- You heard Mrs Mulgrew. Start walking, please.

- Come on.

Come on.

- BELL RINGS

- Could you stay behind a minute, please?

- My little brother struggled with his reading.

He got a tablet too, but he's just in S2.

You don't still...?

- What do you know? You don't know anything.

Anything!

- Look, if you still struggle with reading...

- I don't. - Well, if you couldn't read properly, or whatever,

then I'd want to do whatever I can to help.

The thing is, I'm... I'm actually really good at English.

- It's not a big deal, I just, when I was little...

I just didn't learn it properly, that's all.

- What, you can't read at all?

- Back off, Bonnie. - Wait.

I know what it's like to feel like you're alone round here.

You don't have to.

- OK, see you around.

- If she'd have seen you...

- Yeah, but she didn't. Nothing bad is going to happen.

- How can you say that?

You know what happened last time, how bad things got.

- It's not going to be like last time, all right? I promise.

Come here.

- Does this belong to anybody?

It doesn't look familiar... - No, don't. Don't touch that!

It's mine. It's private.

- Well, we normally keep our personal effects

in these cupboards here, locked up, just to be safe.

You might have a problem with that, though.

- Nah, it'll be fine, honestly.

- I saw you looking at the lettings page in the paper.

Have you been having trouble finding somewhere to stay locally?

- No, I'm actually pretty settled, bunked in with some mates.

Just looking round, just in case.

- If there's any running to be done, most people choose that direction.

- Some of us actually want to be here.

Sorry to disappoint.

- Running at lunchtime?

- Healthy body, healthy mind.

How long did you say you spent lazing round on a beach before you got here?

- Sonya, can we have a word?

I hope you don't mind,

but I mentioned to Audrey about your discovery.

And we just want to help.

- That's sweet, but...I...

- I discovered a lump once.

It worried me sick for weeks. It turned out to be absolutely nothing.

- Have you made an appointment to see your doctor yet?

- Um, no, not yet. I know I should, I just...

- Would you like me to do it for you? Would that help? Grasp the nettle?

- Really? Would you do that?

- And if you need somebody to go with you, you know,

bit of hand-holding, we'll be there in a flash.

- You don't have to do any of this on your own.

Not on our watch.

- Wow, OK. Fellow science teacher and health nut.

You put me to shame.

- I don't know, you look pretty fit yourself.

I mean, in a cardiovascular kind of way, not as in fit in a...

you know, as in an attractive way.

I mean, that's not to say you're not, objectively speaking,

you know, pretty.

I mean, pretty good-looking.

Not that I am looking, I... Oh, God, what I mean is, um...

- First piece of mentoring advice.

Just quit while you're behind, yeah?

- Do you think Carrie's in some sort of trouble? - Er, yeah,

if you count a 15-year-old going with a teacher as trouble.

Which everyone does.

- What was he thinking, going for her, when he could've had me?!

- This is serious, in case you hadn't noticed.

- Maybe they're just mates?

- He's a teacher. They're not supposed to be mates with the kids.

Anyway, that looks more than friends to me.

- You delete that video, mind your own business

and stay away from that posh wee cow.

- What if he's pressuring her or something?

- What if there are aliens planning to take over the school?

Who cares?

She's got her head shoved so far up her backside she can't see straight.

She's nothing to do with us, leave it alone.

- What do YOU think?

- I think that...

..if Carrie was my sister and someone knew

this was going on, then... I'd want them to tell the teacher.

- You really surprise me sometimes, do you know that?

- Mm-hm. Mystery wrapped in an enigma, that's me.

- Hey.

I tried to get Leo to spend some time with me. Completely uninterested.

You're right, he's really not himself.

- Sorry, did you just say...? No, I must've misheard.

- I'm sorry, all right?

I'm just not used to this co-parenting thing.

Maybe I just need to... - Get used to it? Get over it?

- A bit of both.

I'll figure out a way through to him.

Get him back to us.

- It's not the games that I mind so much, it's just the isolation.

- Yeah, well, leave it with me.

And in the meantime, I'm going to confiscate anything with a screen

that threatens to interrupt my lessons.

Hey...

Thank you.

- Today we're going to be looking at science in industry.

Specifically, chemistry. - We don't need any, sir.

You see, me and Rhiannon,

we've already got enough

chemistry going on.

- LAUGHTER

- It's that question,

"What use is any of this going to be anyway?"

Well, I've been in the workplace and I can promise that chemistry...

- Are we going to be doing an experiment?

- You shouldn't be speaking.

- Are we going to get the Bunsen burners out?

- That's not on the lesson plan.

- Ooh, lesson plan?

- LAUGHTER

And yet, by heaven, I think my love as fair

as any she belied with false compare... Shaznay?

- Sir, how come you can't be bothered teaching, like, hardly ever?

- Well, if I did it all the time it wouldn't be a treat, would it?

BELL RINGS PUPILS LAUGH

Right, thank you, everybody.

Confiscated.

- Sir...

Sir, I think Carrie needs help.

It looks like her and Mr Braxton are...

- If you ever, ever, ruin one of my classes again...

- All right, sir. I was only messing around.

- Is this for real?

- You're the Child Protection Officer. I bow to your superior knowledge.

- We need to take Carrie and Lenny out of their classes

and keep them separate.

- Yeah, Lenny's in the cooler. Carrie is in a maths lesson.

- I'll go and collect her. We need to call Steph Norton immediately.

If there's any basis to these allegations,

we'll need to call the local authority child care department and the police.

- Obviously her mother needs to be involved, otherwise I'd like to deal with this internally.

At least until we know exactly what it is we're dealing with.

- Tell me this isn't down to any skipping of red tape when we were taking on Guy?

- Meaning what? - Meaning CRB checks take time,

and I could understand if maybe...

- I would never allow someone to teach at this school without

the appropriate checks, how can you even think that?

- If there's any hint of serious impropriety,

I won't be the only one to suggest it. You do know that?

- What do we do about Guy? - Er, remove him from his class.

Keep him isolated with another teacher to supervise.

Don't tell him anything until we've had a chance to speak to Carrie

and we know what we're dealing with.

- Seems a bit cruel to pull a man out of his class and not tell him why.

- There's a chance we're about to be accused of inviting a paedophile into our school.

We do this by the book.

- Sir, we usually open our books, not sit here and practise for Wimbledon.

- That is classic design.

If you fulfil any brief as well as the dude that invented the tennis ball,

you're on track for an A.

- So we're not actually opening our books then, sir?

- There's more than one way to skin a cat, right?

Well, there's more than one way to learn.

- I've got a note.

- Keep walking, Piglet.

LAUGHTER

- Still up for the chippy after school? - Sounds good.

- Mr Braxton, can you step out for a minute, please?

- I was just about to get the textbooks out, I swear. - Now.

- What's...?

- PUPILS CHATTER

- OK, quiet, please.

Quiet!

- Will you tell me what this is about, please?

- Inside, please.

Has Lorna filled you in?

- You don't really think...? - Make sure he doesn't go anywhere.

DOOR OPENS

- Is it true? You grassed up fit Braxton to Fitzgerald?

- How do you know? - Are you kidding?

He got grabbed out of his class in front of everyone.

The whole school knows!

- It can't be that, surely?

It's nothing, it's just...

I know it's silly, but I accepted her request.

- A friend request?

- From Shaznay Montrose.

Then, once that happened, a few of the other kids requested me.

More than a few, actually.

I think it was, I don't know, 30, by the end.

Is that what this is about?

- (Have you heard about the paedophile?)

SHE WHISPERS

- Right, cut the chat, everyone.

- Is it true, Miss? - Is what true?

- That the new graphics teacher's a paedophile?

- OK, just settle down, please.

- LOUD CHATTERING

- All right.

Quiet!

Thank you.

- Come on, you must've heard, sir?

- No, some of us are too busy to listen to gossip.

Heard what?

- About Mr Braxton having an affair with Carrie Norton?

- It was only a matter of time before they found a paedo at this school.

I mean, they are everywhere.

My dad spends half his time chasing after them.

- I heard they were going out for months,

and he followed her here from where she used to live. - Sounds like gossip to me.

- We'll soon see. If Braxton's got a record, we'll find it.

- Then what you going to do, Scott? Throw paint at his door?

- Who told you?

- Have you been spending time with Mr Braxton, Carrie?

Do you know each other outside school?

- It was Lenny, wasn't it?

I told him to mind his own business!

- It's really important that you talk to me or I can't help you.

- Are you going to call my mum?

- She's on her way.

- You really shouldn't have done that.

- Please, talk to us, Carrie.

- I've had to abandon my lesson and give them study time.

No chance of getting any real work done with this all kicking off.

- Well, what can we say? All this could be something of nothing.

- Or it COULD be something.

You don't think Vaughan might have...?

- What? Forgotten to vet Guy properly because he was

so keen to crack on with his pet project?

He wouldn't gloss over something

like that. Certainly not on purpose.

- SHE KNOCKS ON DOOR

- Well, if he has employed a sex offender, knowingly or not,

it could be the end of Waterloo Road. There'll be no stopping the merger if this gets out.

One for you, and one for Guy. We thought you could do with it.

- Even inmates and their COs deserve basic human rights, eh?

Poor Guy hasn't a clue what's going on, you know.

- Or he's a consummate liar pretending he doesn't have a clue.

- Unlike you to be the more cynical of the two of us.

- Unlike you to be so naive.

- Are you two this sparky at home?

- Sorry?

- Someone said you were an item, so...

- We tend not to make a big thing of it during school hours.

- Oh, come on, George. We can drop the act in front of Olga.

It's just a little joke we've got going on with Audrey.

- Oh, so there's no truth in it?

- Me and George?!

Only on April Fools' Day.

- DOOR OPENS

- My Carrie's never in trouble. What's this about?

- Mrs Norton, I'm afraid this is something of a rather

sensitive nature.

- What does that mean, sensitive?

- Carrie was filmed by a fellow student behaving

inappropriately with a teacher.

- No. No, she'd never.

Inappropriate?

- There could be another explanation, but so far...

- It's Guy!

- You know that name, Mrs Norton? Guy Braxton?

- Of course I know that name.

He's not a paedophile, you idiot!

He's her brother.

- Kenzie, my phone's out of credit. Any chance I can borrow yours? - Wait!

- Oh, nice one. Nice one sneaking this in. - Give her it back.

- Yeah, I will in a bit. - She doesn't want you mucking round with her stuff. I said, give it back!

- What's your problem? - It's nothing.

- Is there something in here you don't want me finding out about?

What am I going to see if I flick through this? - It helps her, OK?

- Helps her with what? - Back off, yeah? - Helps her how? - I said, back off!

- If there's something wrong... - There isn't, OK? Just leave it.

- This is all in baby language. - It's not baby language, it's... - Shut up!

- Do you not know how to read big words or something?

- Maybe you'd have fallen behind in reading as well if you were always...

- What? What's she talking about?

- It's nothing. Everyone knows I'm rubbish at English,

it's no big deal. - It's nothing to be ashamed of. You just didn't learn properly.

- Will you just shut up, you stupid cow?!

- Kenzie. Can... Can you not read properly?

- I'm sorry, I didn't mean... - Nice one, Bonnie.

- Kenz...

- Stay away from me. All of you.

- DOOR OPENS

- Mum. - Don't you dare call me that. I want him gone.

- Maybe if Carrie hadn't been so scared to admit Guy was her brother,

things wouldn't have got this far. - What do you know about it?

You're not scared, are you?

- I thought if we told anyone you'd be bound to find out and then...

- Then it'd be the same as it always is.

You in my face, shouting the odds, and her stuck in the middle.

Mum and I haven't spoken in a year.

She doesn't let me see Carrie.

- Tell them why.

Tell them!

- It was an accident. - He over-reacted to some stupid argument.

- You didn't hear what he said. - Punched his step-dad so hard, he put him in hospital.

- Maybe if you stood up for me once in a while, it wouldn't have come to that!

- He left me after that. You ruined my life. - Yeah?

What do you think having a mother like you did to mine? - Please! I can't stand it.

- I'll go.

I want him sacked.

He's not fit to teach a kid to tie their laces,

let alone give them a proper education.

- You don't have the power to make those kind of decisions, Mrs Norton.

- You'd really try and dismantle my career before it's begun?

Just out of spite?

I'm glad I hit Terry, do you know why?

It got me away from you.

- You all right?

My mum and dad used to fight a lot.

I had a spot where I used to hide behind the house.

- I should be over it by now.

- Who says?

- After Guy put our step-dad in hospital,

he walked out.

Mum made me change my mobile number

and when we moved she wouldn't let me tell him where.

- Well, I bet you missed him.

- I thought if I saw him again I'd be pleased.

But I was just scared.

- You know, there comes a point when you can't let your life be ruled by other people's arguments.

- They're my family, how can I not?

- Let your mum know that you're old enough to make your own decisions.

She doesn't have to see Guy

but if you want to, then it's not right for her to interfere.

Come on.

- Hi. - Hi.

- Um, I just wanted to double-check

that you didn't want a movie night?

Because, well, you know, I'm quite happy to snuggle down

on the sofa with you and George, if he'd like to join?

- It's a really nice idea, Audrey, but I think George is planning to cook.

- Oh.

Drop the act, for goodness' sake. Olga told me.

She wasn't telling tales, I was talking about yours and George's

wonderful romance and she looked shifty, so I got it out of her.

- In my defence, I didn't actually say George and I were an item.

You just assumed. - And you let me make that assumption.

Did you think I'm smothering you, is that it?

- Well, it's just...

Since we moved in together, it feels a bit like...

- Go on! Don't stop and spare my feelings now.

- A bit like being back living with my mother.

- AUDREY LAUGHS

Oh, Christine! I'm not the one

going round telling tales.

I'm not playing Mum, you are playing the stroppy teenager.

Anyway,

I am going out tonight.

Don't wait up.

- Get your things, we're going home. - No.

I don't want to.

I'll be home later, Mum, but I don't want to go with you right now.

And I won't be leaving this school either, so don't even suggest it.

- You expect me to let you be taught by him?

- He's my brother. And a really good teacher.

They're all really good teachers here.

- At least I've done a decent job with one of you.

See you at the PTA meeting next week, Mrs Mulgrew.

- Thanks, Miss.

- Well, with her on the PTA, I feel sorry for the LEA trying

to get the merger through. She's a bit scary.

- Why do you think I spend so much money on shoes?

In these things I can face anything the world throws at me.

- Maybe I should invest in a pair.

- Yeah, good one.

- I'm not a violent person, I swear.

- Still, you can see how this looks.

If you had told me Carrie was your sister in the first place,

all of this could have been avoided. - I know, and I wish I had.

I only found out she went here this morning,

and she was so adamant no-one could know.

- In case your mum got wind of it?

- And if I'm honest, I was putting off telling you as well.

I wasn't exactly looking forward to telling my new boss

that I put someone in hospital once.

- I meant what I said to Steph,

she doesn't have the authority to have you sacked.

But I do.

And this has created such a stink, part of me

is thinking it would be better just to part company now.

- You can't. Please, I...

All I've ever wanted to do is teach. I will be on my best behaviour...

- Luckily for you, a bigger part of me

is saying that I've already taken a massive chance on you.

And you deserve another crack of the whip.

But from now on, you play by the book.

You do not go outside the line.

And, I beg you, start dressing like a grown-up.

Families split apart sometimes.

You've just got to be the bigger man and not resort to violence.

- Trust me, that'll never happen again.

- All right, go home.

We'll start again tomorrow.

- Oh, good. You're still here.

You would not believe the day I've had. Fancy a Diet Coke and a moan?

- Actually, no, I don't think I do.

The next time I do you a favour,

perhaps have the good grace not to make me look like a complete idiot.

- Oh, come on, George. It was nothing.

- Don't worry, I'm sure there's some toy boy out there desperate

to be your next shoulder to cry on.

- What about cards? You like cards? Crazy eights.

Pontoon? You love cards.

- Yeah, I did. When I was 10.

- All right, um... Chess? Charades?

What's that game where you put your hands and feet

on different coloured spots? - Why are you doing this?

- Because I don't want you coming home from school

and spending all evening in your room playing computer games.

I don't want you doing something that solitary.

- Gaming isn't solitary. - Really? How'd you figure that?

- Well, you connect with loads of different people,

different countries, different cultures... - And do what?

- Discuss strategies, links, other games.

It's the reason it's called interactive.

Besides, you cheat at chess. - I do not.

Once.

- Whatever, Dad. I'll see you later.

- Oh!

So, going well then, is it?

- No. Maybe we could all do something? - Excuse me?

- Why not? You could come round.

When was the last time we did something together?

- I think it was called arbitration, or was it Relate? I forget.

Two to four players, always ends in stalemate.

- You're not helping.

I just think it would be nice for us all to do something together,

as a family. - Well, I'd love to help. But I can't, I'm afraid.

I've got a date.

- What?

- Joke.

Why don't you just play his game with him?

- A computer game? - Why not? Just don't get hooked.

You know what you're like.

- KNOCK ON DOOR

- Heard you had a bit of trouble.

- You know what? You've done nothing but pick at me all day.

Teaching's my first choice.

I didn't fail at another career before I got here.

- I didn't fail.

I just... You know, I needed a change.

- Teach Direct's hard graft.

I've got two years of assessment and training ahead of me.

If this merger goes ahead and there's only one job at the end,

I'm going to make damned sure it's me that gets it.

Get ready to be shown up by an underqualified beach bum.

- All good then? First day go without a hitch?

- Yeah, yeah, fine.

- You'll do me out of a job.

- Actually, there was one thing. Er... It's about the pupils.

You know, two arms, two legs...

- What did they do?

- Er...

Well...

they just kept interrupting me the whole time.

You know, piping up, asking questions, cracking jokes,

breaking my flow. I can't stand it. Drives me mad.

How do you put a stop to that?

- Well, how did you deal with it?

- In no uncertain terms, but how do you make them stop completely?

- You don't. You can't. They're kids.

Coming from the workplace that's going to take some getting used to,

but you might have to roll with it a bit,

because pupils are like pack animals.

As soon as they see something that winds you up,

they'll all be doing it, all the time. - Oh.

OK. Thanks.

So, er...

how did you find it all?

- Me? - Yeah, you're new here too, right?

Where were you before?

- Oh, never mind me.

Nowhere as interesting as you,

life in industry.

Anyway, better get going.

- Look, I just wanted to say that I think you're seriously brave.

Starting from scratch the way you are.

I can't imagine what it must've been like.

You must be really clever, to hide it for that long. - You don't know anything about me.

- I couldn't do it. Especially with everything

that's going on with your mum.

Why didn't you say anything? - Cos we're not friends.

I'm not friends with you, I'm not friends with Bonnie.

None of you are my friends. - I just want to try and help.

- Yeah, well, just stay out of my business, and stay out of my face,

Head Boy.

- Carrie.

I'm sorry.

I nicked them from the art room.

- You could've really got my brother into trouble.

- No, I know.

I was just trying to look out for you.

I don't really know how to... how to do all this.

- Do what?

The whole boy-girl thing.

Just forget it. It's just stupid.

- Wait...

- It could be nice, having someone to look out for me.

- I know I made a mess of things today.

I just thought you were in trouble and that...

I mean, I've never...

SHE LAUGHS

- Lenny?

Stop talking.

Lorna!

I thought maybe we could go for a drink?

Toast my first day?

- Er, I try and keep my professional and my private life separate.

Avoids complications.

- Look, if you've come to give me a hard time, then save it.

- You were just trying to stand up for her. Be her friend.

- Last term I was a total Billy no mates.

So I made a change, yet here I am, back to square one.

- Whereas last term was such a highlight for me(!)

Look, Kenzie'll come round.

Or she won't.

Either way, you've still got other friends.

- Come on, man, you said it'd be OK.

That's what friends are for, right?

It'll only be for a couple of nights, just till I can...

Uh-huh.

All right, OK. Yeah, no, no, it's fine.

Thanks, anyway...

..for nothing.

- DOOR OPENS

- What was that?

- Hey, I know I'm a lame old man, but...

..fancy shooting up some bad guys?

- You do realise that's a created world game, Dad?

There's no bad guys, just virtual avatars and currency.

- Oh. Let's stick it in anyway.

- Abdul gave me another controller, hang on.

Dad...

..thanks.

- Everything all right? - Yeah.

Course.

- Hiya, Mum. How are you?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Just ringing to see how you were.

I just started my new job.

Yeah, it's in London...

OK.

Bye, Mum.

- # How you like me now?

# How you like me now?

# How you like me now?

# How you like me now?

# How you like me now?

# How you like me now?

# How you like me now?

# How you like me now?

# How you like me now?

# How you like me now?

# How you like me now? #

You and Justin, been going on for a while, has it?

- I like him, so what? - What, more than you like Scott?

- I found a dressing gown this morning

and a number of food items have been going missing...

which would tend to suggest that someone may well be sleeping

at the school. - You little tramp!

- Listen to you, you'd go with anything! - Filthy, two-faced...

- You went with her mum! - What's she talking about?

- Never come near me, ever again. - Fine!

- SHE SCREAMS