"Come on Ackley!" "I slept with Sadiq." " I know!" " Nas, it can't happen." "I'm a lesbian." "Here's your DNA test results." "And what about us?" "We're off in to town!" "Oh, Chloe!" "You don't see many Pakistani lads ice skating, do you?" "I'd do anything for you." "You my daughter." "They'll take Hayley into care." "There is a way to keep your family together." "We need the cooperation of your mum." "You really wanna know what he's like?" "Ask him about Mrs Carter." "He is sleeping with her." "Jordan?" "In all honesty, a school like this, a blended school in a place like this doesn't work." "Everybody said that, everybody thought that." "But I can't tell you how many people thought this place was going to be a failure, and yet here we are." "Making it a success." "You're late, Mr Bell." "Traffic." " Sign's here." " Oh, great." "Let's have a look." "Bottom line is we need parents to sign their kids up today." "Why?" "Well, yes for finance, for governors, for the council, but let's do it for us." "Eh?" "Let's do it for the future." "Not only of this school, but for the future of the whole town." "Good, no?" "Yeah!" "Ackley Bridge Collage." "Were you drinking when you drew this picture?" "Does everyone know about it?" "Can't do nothing in Ackley Bridge, everyone know what you up to and don't you teach my Razia any tricks!" "She got bloody plenty of her own." "She came home a drunk," "I won't be as good as your mother were, you know." "People up North." "Were you all right after your party?" "Haven't seen you all week." "Chloe?" "What have I said about this?" "It's for the Open Day." "I don't care." "You can do the English presentation with me instead." "I'm not meant to see you apparently." "Think yourself lucky to be here at all, Jordan." " I had a good mind to ring your dad." " What?" " Let him know what went on." " Mum!" "Chloe." "Now." "It wasn't my fault!" "So all the governors will be here and... we'll have loads of prospective parents, we hope!" "So, please, just everybody on their best behaviour, and..." "Let's just... let's just make a success of today." "Got a minute?" "See that, they split up but they've still gotta keep it up for the sake of the kids." "I don't know why you lot are so interested in your teachers' private lives." "You'd think you'd have more important things to do." "He's got no shame!" "Mrs Carter and Mr Bell's bust up, like that's nowt to do with him." "Dad?" " You got my speech?" " Yeah." "I looked over it, bit sloppy for you." "Got distracted." "What distracted you?" "Better not be a boy." "No." "You're a good girl, aren't you?" "Mrs Carter?" "Do you want me to pop out front to meet the parents?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "Okay." "Someone's feeling the pressure." "Also I've got..." "Jordan Wilson and Chloe Voyle down in art." "Is that a good idea?" "They're hardly model students, are they?" "Do you want me to change them, Mrs Carter?" "Stop it, Steve." "Look, the kid's good at art." "I mean how much damage can he do in the canteen with a couple of paintings?" "Oi!" "Stranger." "What you doing here?" "Jamie'll be older next year, thought I'd see about coming back." "Would you like that?" "What do you mean?" "Us, like together, in school." "You could come look after him in your frees when you're in sixth form." "Why would I wanna do that?" "Why would I look after someone else's kid?" "What?" "Done a DNA test." "He's not mine, Candice." "You got a DNA test?" "All that guilt you put me on, about not seeing him, he's not even mine!" "You sure?" "Am I the only one whose name you can remember?" "I'm not like that." "My dad told me, everyone told me, I just didn't listen." "I really wanted you to be the dad," " I thought..." " Why are you acting like you like me all of a sudden?" " I've always liked you." " You liked my brother, just like all girls." "That's why you hung around with us, so you could see him." "We only did it the once." " What?" " What'd he tell you!" "?" "Cos it was only once!" "He's the only other person I've been with and he didn't even talk to me after." " You were really nice." " Who?" "You talking about Cory?" " Leave it, Jordan, cos..." " My brother?" "Cory!" "And this is one of our science classrooms." "And this is Miss Shariff?" "You gonna come say hello, Miss Shariff?" "Hiya." "We're learning about catalysts." "We're big believers here in practical." "Hands-on experimentation with students is encouraged." "Miss!" "Sorry." "I don't know what I did wrong." "Right, shall we move on to the next class?" "You're just a liar, Candice, that's what you are." "Eh, don't talk to her like that!" "I'll give you bloody thump!" "You're a joke, Candice!" "A stupid girl who got knocked up." " You get out!" "Go!" "Go!" " Don't touch me!" "Here, Jordan." "Don't worry." "Don't worry." "I'll sort him." "Oh, you'll sort me, will you?" "It's all right, Mr Bell's here!" "Oi!" "Come to Ackley Bridge." "Get taught by hero, Mr Steven Bell." "Uhm, have I not done enough for you, kid?" " Don't..." "Don't show me up." " Oh, you've done loads for me." "Hiding my baby round school, putting me on a rugby team." " Absolute star he is." " You know I've put my neck on line for you." "I promised Mrs Carter you'd behave and look at you." "Making you look stupid in front of your missus, Sir!" "Why do you care!" "?" "You've split up with her, everyone knows it." "Shall we..." "Shall we come back to Art?" "This way." "Get out." " What you doing, man?" " Get out of my sight, now!" "I'm done with you." "Go!" "Come on." "Are you mad?" "Squaring up to a teacher like that?" "After all the trouble you've been in here." " You know what Dad would do." " Yeah, he'd pick your side." "What side?" "What were that, with you and Candice down in the canteen?" "She mouthing on about your kid?" "What she want?" "Money?" "Cos you know she's gotta prove it's yours before she gets anything from you." "Don't let her be taking advantage of you." "She just said she's only been with me, that's all." "Yeah, well, she's a liar." "How would you know?" "She's a liar, Jordan." "Don't be stupid." "Did you sleep with her?" "With Candice?" "Give me some respect, Jordan." "Why?" "What did she say?" "She said you're Jamie's dad." "Come on." "Let's go home." "Well, you didn't, did you?" "Well, did you?" "Come on." "You know I liked her." "I said you shouldn't trust her." "Okay?" "I didn't know you'd been with her." "She said she liked me!" "Thanks." "That's just a sample of some of the musical opportunities here at the school, and now for an insider's view of life here at Ackley Bridge College, I'd like to pass you over to our sponsor's daughter and sixth former here, Alya Nawaz." "Do us proud." "My name is Alya Nawaz." "At my last school, only 10% of the pupils were white, so when I heard about this new school I was excited." "I was excited because it was an opportunity to study and to make friends with a new and diverse group of people." "We were meant to..." "We were meant to integrate." "We were meant to make friends and we were meant to be a success story." "But we're not." "The only thing that's been successful has been my dad." "My dad's screwing the headmistress." "That's the only bit of integration going on here." "Mum." "Hey, Missy, are you all right?" "How's your mum?" "Feeling rough." "She's worried about the care hearing." "Well, it's gonna be hard." "It's quite difficult on her, and there's no guarantees." "Ta." " Mum?" " One minute, Chlo." "I need to go anyway." "I'll be there at the hearing tomorrow." " I just need to see Miss Carter." " Like she cares." "Hayley in care is her fault anyway." " Hey, Emma." " Sami, have you seen Steve?" "It is true, innit, Mandy and Mr Nawaz?" "!" "How long you gonna be?" " I don't know." "Why?" " Just might have a surprise at home." "Oh." "Oh, well, I better hurry back then, eh?" "Look, can we grab a coffee or something?" "Cos we need talk." "I don't think we should, do you?" "Anyway I've gotta go and see the headmistress." "Mandy?" "Mandy?" "I need to get back out there." "Listen, Mandy, I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you about Jordan being a liability down there." "I, I'm just, I'm sorry about everything." "Thanks." "Mandy, please just talk to me!" "Steve, I'm just trying to get through today, okay?" "We're a mess." " Everything's a mess..." " All right." "Okay." "It's all right." "Listen, Alya, she's just an upset kid." "I don't think it was meant for you." " I think we were just collateral." " Yeah, and my job, too?" "Because the governors want to talk to me tomorrow." "About my future." "Oh, I'm sorry..." "I can see you're busy." "Yes, Miss Keane?" "I need to..." "I need to have tomorrow morning off." " Really?" "Now?" " It's Hayley Booth's hearing and it's important." "I'm gonna go." " Are you okay?" " Yeah." " I'm sorry about you two, if..." " Look, I don't need any sympathy, but what I do need is a bit more support from my staff, you know." "Like not springing time off on me after everything." "I know it's bad timing." "But Missy needs someone in there with her, and I'm her teacher and that's what we're here for, in't it?" "No, no, what we're here for is to get students in, to educate them and do the best we can and private lives shouldn't come into it." " Mum?" " Oh, love, I wanted to surprise you!" "How much have you spent on all this?" "But it's for Hayley!" "For tomorrow, plus social worker will see, see I'm not useless." "And you're doing your stuff at school, we're regular model citizens, us." "All this stuff." "Not got the hang of it yet." "Oh, no!" " Don't tell me I've ruined another one!" " Don't worry, don't worry!" "Quick!" " We could scrape off the burnt bits." " Forget it." "I messed it up." "I can't concentrate!" "I feel awful." "Methadone makes it no better." "Social won't let Hayley come back to this!" " Your surprise is almost ready." " I'm so sorry, Chlo, 'but can we put it on hold for tonight?" "I really need to go and see Missy Booth." "Missy?" "Again?" "Chloe, you know what's going on with her family." "And I just feel I need to do something." "She hasn't really got anyone else." " Yeah, okay." " You sure?" " Yeah, 'course." " It can wait this." "Probably better overnight, anyway." "What is it?" "Don't worry." "Go and see Missy." "You're a star." "Thank you very much." "Okay, bye." "What are you doing?" "Thought I'd come see you." "Whose car is that?" "Mr. Bell's." "Oh, my God." "No!" "Jordan, don't..." "Oh, God!" "Jordan, you're crazy!" "Jordan..." "Stop it." "Jordan, stop it." "It's not funny." "Oh, my..." "Should have brought some booze!" "Yeah, I didn't think." "Don't want a repeat of your party though, do we?" "We could drive down and get some." "Nah, I'm not going back down there again." "What do you mean?" "Running away, innit?" ""Running away"?" "What happened with that girl in the canteen?" "Now't to do with you." "She's your kid's mum, isn't she?" "It's not my kid." "That's good." "Who wants a kid at our age, anyway?" "Do you want to come with me?" "What?" "Running away, like." "You hate it here, don't you?" "Yeah, I guess." "So you should come." "Miss Keane?" "Missy said you were feeling a bit rough," " having a bad time of it." " Yeah, it's a real mystery." "You need to get out." "Both of you." "No need to tackle the kitchen." "Try for a bit of normality." " So are you gonna buy me a pint, Miss?" " Err, no, I think not tonight." "Ah." "What about me mum, then?" "Err, tell you what, why don't you give 'em this?" "Tell them we want some food." "Set a tab and I'll have a coke, and one for your mum and whatever you want." "Do you need anything?" "Can I help you?" " Sure?" " Yeah." " Who were that?" " You don't wanna know." "Can't go anywhere in this town to get away from it." "You're doing really well." "Yeah, right, I am." "Burnt a cake, dealers coming up to me." "Everyone can see I'm a rubbish mum." "No, they can't." "Easy for you to say." "Oh, Christ, are we gonna have a rubbish mum-off?" "My daughter turned up at school drunk, first day of term, then threw up in my lesson." " For real?" " In front of my Boss." "None of us know what we're doing." "We've just gotta try." "And God knows, you're trying." " All right?" " Yeah." "Making a show of us." "In front of the whole school." "So we're just gonna let him get away with it, lying to everyone?" "He deserves it." "He deserves to be humiliated." "He's not the only one who's been humiliated, though, is he?" " Can I talk to you both?" " No." "It's a bit late for talking, innit?" " Riz..." " I'm going to check on Mum." "Now are we gonna pretend like nothing's happened?" "Even if it's all a front?" "What's the "front"?" "The business I've worked hard for?" "The school I believe in?" " The family that I love." " The marriage you've cheated on." "There's things you don't understand, there's..." "I don't have to explain my marriage to you." "It's not even the first time, is it?" "Am I the only stupid one in this family that believed in you?" " Nothing's changed." " Everything's changed." "I thought you were amazing." " Hey." " Someone's nicked my car." " What?" "Oh, my God!" " Have you called the police?" "Yeah, of course." "I just, uhm," "I'm sorry, I would have called you earlier, it's just..." "No." "It's okay." "I was," "I was gonna call you, too." "Just to say thanks, you know, for today, and..." "Er, can I just deal with this e-mail?" "It's from the governors." "Can I call you back?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course." "Right, well, I'll, err, speak to you later, bye." "Okay, bye." "Bye." "Are we gonna get cold?" "You what?" "Sleeping up here, aren't we?" "Or do you wanna drive?" "We can't sleep here, can we?" "Why not?" "You shouldn't drive in the dark." "It's dangerous." "What?" "Stop it!" "My mum hates driving in the dark." "She won't do it." "Your mum's not here, is she?" "No-one is." "Yeah." "Chloe?" "I've never, uhm..." "Never?" "No." "Thought all you Londoners were cool." "Well, it's not like I couldn't have if I wanted to." "What, so you don't want to?" "You said that you wanted to run away with me." "So that means I've got to sleep with you?" "You all right?" "I just want to leave this place." "I hate it here." "I hate the people." "I hate you, Ackley Bridge!" " I didn't know who else to call." " It's all right." "I mean, maybe she's out with friends, but she did all this and said she'd be here and..." "It's fine." "We can't do this." "You got a fiancée." "I've met her she's nice." "She's good for you, you said..." "I know, this is the worst timing ever, but..." "We just need to find Chloe." "I'm sorry, Missy," "I've let you down so much." "Mum?" "Mum?" "Hello?" "Yes." "Yeah." "She's at the station now?" "And she's all right?" "No, I'll come straightaway." "Thank you." "Thank you very much." "Bye-bye." "Bye." "Asleep in a stolen car halfway up the valley." " Do you want me to take you?" " No, you've done enough, thank you so much." "I'd have gone crazy without you here." "I don't want to break up a couple, Sami." "And I don't want to mess around." "No." "I've got to go and get Chloe, haven't I?" "Hi, Emma." "I can't make it to the hearing." " What hearing?" " Hayley Booth's!" "I've got to go and get Chloe from the police station." " The police?" " She went missing last night, but Missy needs someone there." "But I just hate to think of her on her own, Mandy." "Her mother's still a right state and if she loses her sister..." "I know what you're asking." "But I can't go for you." "She's 16 years old." "I've got a meeting with the governors." "She'll just have to go on her own." "You better deal with your daughter..." "Uhm..." "I've gotta go." "Sorry." "What are you doing?" "I just came to wish you luck, for the meeting." "Right." "If Sadiq's got any decency, he'll resign." " Or I will." " Don't you dare." "You're a great teacher." " Unlike me." " What do you mean?" "Jordan Wilson." "Turn's out he's the famous car thief." "They found him?" "!" "I've gotta go and get it now." "The taxi's outside" " and I was driving past and I just..." " Steve, you're a great teacher." "I'm sorry if I ever made you doubt it." "What's the point in a school if you don't care about the people in it?" "Well, you care too." "It's one of the reasons why I love you." "You still love me, then?" "It was never about me not loving you, was it?" "I know." " I've got this meeting..." " Yeah." "Well, share my cab." "I mean, it's in the same direction, so..." "Is it?" "No." "No." "Actually, can we go back into town, please?" "You're going to be late." "I should be somewhere else." "Oh, are they back together again happy?" "Hopefully, yeah." "You still engaged?" " Yeah." " Still liaising?" "Yeah." "You know you're wearing same jumper as yesterday?" "Hashtag just saying!" "Nas, can I talk to you?" "Yesterday, in class... anyone could have found out, the way you two were carrying on." " Oh, we were only joking..." " It's not a joke!" "It's not a joke to me." "Look, I should never have gone near you." " I know, you have said that before." " No, you don't understand." "I should never have gone near you." "You're a student." " I'm 17." " My student." "I'm here to be trusted." " I let you down." " Look, you broke the rules," " big deal, that's what they're there for." " They're there to protect you." "Protect me?" "From you?" "Yeah." "Look, I..." "I am over it." "So you don't have to worry any more." "Look, I'm not going to say anything and I'm not going to tell anyone." "I promise you." "It's done." "I'm hoping I'm going to see you in a minute." "But please get back to me when you get this message." "Hayley!" "Where's Mum?" "She's trying to get hold of her." "Miss Carter?" "!" "All right, girls, Miss Keane couldn't make it." "I thought you could do with some school support, so let's see if we can get you home, Hayley." "Mum!" "I didn't mean to scare you." "You didn't come home!" "You didn't answer your phone!" "You said it was all right for me to go see Missy." "What was this?" "Some kind of punishment?" "No, just..." "Jordan turned up..." "My job's really important to me, Chloe." "Yeah," "I know it's the most important thing to you, Mum," "I get that, I get the message!" "I'm not having a go, I'm..." "I just don't understand why you didn't come home." "Home?" "Is that my home?" "Or... or is my home back in London with Dad?" "If Dad hadn't dumped me here, we'd still be every other weekend." " Always doing something... fun." " Oh, well, I'm sorry for trying to spoil you." "I don't want spoiling." "I want a mum." "I always feel like I'm in your way, and, I mean..." "What's up here that you couldn't have back in London?" "With me?" "I just..." "I didn't think I'd be any good as a full-time parent." "I thought I'd be better as a part-time mum, and, uhm..." "Seems I'm right." "Dad doesn't want me any more." "He does, he does, and I want you." "But I want you more and he's not getting you back." "You're all mine now." "Oh, Chloe." "I'm sure my mum'll be here in a minute." "She promised." "Can we have the Booths, please?" "!" "They're calling us in." "The best we can do is get an adjournment and maybe your mum will have a good explanation." "Just family is usual." " Well, we'll be unusual." " Missy, you have to give permission if you want Mrs Carter to join you." "I can ask her to wait outside." "You can come if you want." "Let's see if we can buy your mum some time, shall we?" "Cheers, thank you." "They said I could say hello." "So what WAS the plan, Jordan?" "I don't know, Sir." "I never really have a plan, do I?" "You were getting it together." "At school, and I was..." "I was proud of you, y'know." " Now you go do something like this?" " I know." "Jordan, you've got a kid to think about." "Candice said it's not mine." "It's Cory's." " Your Cory's?" " Yeah." "What about the DNA test?" "I lied!" "Oh, Christ." "Oh, I'm so sorry, Jordan." "All right?" "I..." "Shh..." "I'll just be a sec." "Get to class, you." "Does she know anything?" "Samir..." "I've got to look after her." "She's my daughter and I've only got her a couple of years and then she'll be off." "Gone!" "I haven't got room for anything else." " Well, I get that, but I just don't understand..." " I can't mess this up, Sami." "Look at me..." "Look at me." "What are you scared of?" "Just call your fiancée." "You haven't told her anything, there's no harm done." "I'm sorry." "Are you gonna resign?" "It takes two, you know." "I had to resign from the golf club this morning and my interview in the newspaper got dropped." "You should leave." "What do you want me to do?" " Just walk away?" " To take your punishment!" "Punishment?" "I'm getting it, don't worry." "From your mother." "From your sister." "From you." "I'm not going down without a fight son, why should I?" "Because... you slept with the headmistress, Dad!" "Mr Nawaz, you can go up now." "They're ready for you." "It doesn't look like Mrs Carter is going to turn up." "If Miss Booth isn't here," " I have no choice." " Ahem." " I am Missy and Hayley's head teacher..." " Mrs Carter!" "And I think it's really important for them to stay together." "Um, Hayley has made excellent progress" " and interfering with her education..." " I know you're trying to help... at this point would be hugely detrimental." "And Missy, Missy's an excellent student." "I mean, she has overcome all sorts of difficulties and she's made us all really proud." "This year she's got a whole new attitude..." "Not that there was anything wrong with her attitude before." "You were fine when we were living with Nana before!" " That's enough!" " But we were looking after Nana rather than other way round, and we coped!" "We were happy!" "We might not be the kind of family social workers give top marks to, but we were good." "And we were together..." "I do understand your distress, Missy, but with the absence of your mother..." "Buses were a nightmare!" "You've not started already, have you?" "And I didn't know me proper size." "Woman in't shop said I've been wearing wrong-sized bra for 20 years." "My father came this country with nowt and I built my life, my business, from scratch." "From being the wrong side of town." "From being the other, from being the minority." "I put my own money into this place, that's how much I want it to work." "My reputation," " my..." " We also have to consider the reputation of the school." "What a man does in his private life is his own business," " his family's business." " Not when you're the sponsor of a public-funded academy." "We're grateful for your generous donations, but if we have to find another sponsor, you must know... that this school will survive without you." "It takes two." "And I'm not the one in charge of the kids." "I'm not the one who's gonna have cracks made about her in the classroom, who's gonna have problems with discipline." "Who's most likely divorcing another member of staff." "And she's not even here!" "She's not even bothered to turn up." "She's not even here to face the music." "You reckon one of us has to go?" "Well, it's not gonna be me." " They're taking t'mick here." " Mum!" "Stop that." "And I think under the circumstances, I think that is the best decision." "All right." "Right." "Well, I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting, but I can now tell you my decision and I've decided that the right orders are a Supervision Order to the Local Authority for a year and a Child Arrangements Order to Ms Booth." "Hayley, that means you can return home to the care of your mother." "Yes!" "Yes!" "Sorry." "Yes, that's great." "Nice one!" "Mandy not make it back in time?" "In time for what?" "What've you been saying to them in there?" " Do we have to do this yet again, Mr Bell?" " Listen, you know that this school is ten times better off with her here." "The board will make their own decision." "Own decision?" "You can't force a woman out a job cos of this." " Mandy's going nowhere and neither am I." " What did you say to them?" "Miss Carter..." "The governors will see you after lunch now..." "But there's been some sort of..." " What?" " Explosion... in the Chemistry Lab." "Some Year 10s, apparently." "If you'll excuse me, I better go and deal with this." "After all, it is my school." "Our school." "We'll see." " Hayley!" " Raz!" "Come here!" "I can't believe they've still not got rid of this." "I know, it's the council, innit?" "My mum's dead mad about it." "We gonna get in trouble for skiving?" "I think they got enough going on, they're not gonna notice us." "Not gonna no..." "Not gonna notice?" "Nasreen, we are always noticed." "We are always gonna be noticed." "Take note, Ackley Bridge, note us!" " I'm actually going to be sick." " Oh, no, Missy, don't, please!" "We're gonna get in so much..." "Trouble!"