Waterloo Road has unfortunately been dubbed ‘the murder school’, following the dramatic events of last term, which concluded with head teacher Steve Savage and his son, Billy, being arrested by police over the ‘accidental’ death of bully boy Boz.
Can its reputation be restored as the show returns for a new series?
Here's everything we know about Waterloo Road season 15...
Waterloo Road season 15 release date
Waterloo Road season 15 starts on Tuesday, February 11 at 9 pm on BBC One and will air on Tuesday evenings in the same slot.
All six episodes will also be available as a box set on BBC iPlayer from the same date.
Waterloo Road season 15 cast
Following the scandals of last term, it's going to take someone pretty special to put Waterloo Road back on top, as staff and students descend on the Manchester-based comprehensive school for a new term. Enter no-nonsense, ex-Ofsted Director turned head teacher, Dame Stella Drake, played by ex-EastEnders actor, Lindsey Coulson.
"Stella appealed to me because I'm very bossy and opinionated," teases Lindsey - best known for portraying Walford matriarch Carol Jackson - as she joins What to Watch for an exclusive chat about her new role in season 15.
"Stella didn’t ever expect to come back into a mainstream school. For 15 years, she’s been at Ofsted - but was fired from there for being too outspoken! This job at Waterloo Road is a last chance saloon for her."
Sounds intriguing. Tell us more...
Stella has an uncompromising work ethic, a strong moral compass and, as a result, a no-nonsense approach to leadership and teaching, as Lindsey reveals.
"Stella’s passionate about education but she’s pretty old school; she’s from the generation where children were ‘seen and not heard’ and, in terms of leadership, being fair, strict and having clear boundaries is her policy. Stella has this hard exterior but also a glint in her eye because she cares about people and wants them to succeed.
"Stella’s pretty confident about what she can do, at least on the outside. She knows she's going to have to fight some battles at Waterloo Road but she sees being there as an opportunity to use her skill set again. So she rolls her sleeves up and says: ‘Come on, let’s see if we can turn this school around and make a difference.’"
Wait a minute. WHY did Stella get fired from Ofsted?
Funny you should ask. We'll let Lindsey explain...
"Stella was fired from Ofsted for saying she believed some parents were too soft on their kids and that schools shouldn’t give in so easily to children’s demands," Lindsey says on Stella, who ruffles feathers as soon as she arrives at Waterloo Road, with her new policy of prioritising funding for vital school equipment over initiatives geared towards caring for young people’s mental health…
"Being at Waterloo Road, Stella realises the world has changed and that it’s important to find a balance between being strict and being concerned about young people’s mental health. I don’t think I could be a teacher. It’s a high-pressure job - and it’s quite hard to do ‘headteacher speak’ all the time!"
Stella certainly looks like she means business...
Indeed, Stella definitely stands out at Waterloo Road - she has big hair and wears sharp suits and high heels. And it seems Lindsey is embracing Stella's wardrobe...
"The producers had a very clear vision of what they wanted for Stella and I worked with our makeup designer, Andrea Dowdall-Goddard, to get the look just right," reveals Lindsey. "Stella’s shoes have caused me problems, though, in that I don't really wear heels in real life, so my feet are suddenly thinking: ‘What is this?’ And I may not have gone with such big hair but I’m enjoying it now. "
Are our favourite teachers back? And are there new staff and pupils joining?
There sure is. All our favourite staffers are back to try and keep Waterloo Road running smoothly, including co-deputy heads Joe Casey (James Baxter) and Coral Walker (Rachel Leskovac), history teacher Neil Guthrie (Neil Fitzmaurice), trainee teacher Donte Charles (Adam Thomas), dinner lady Nicky Walters (Kym Marsh), English teacher Amy Spratt (Kat Pearce) and maths teacher Nisha Chandra (Saira Choudhry).
Joining them, among others, will be new student Ashton Stone (Cory McClane), who locks horns with Donte as he tries to find his feet as a trainee teacher. And there are shocks in store for Donte when he meets Ashton's mum. It’s Celine (Zeriozha Annika), who left Waterloo Road in 2008 claiming she was pregnant…
"Ashton ruffles Donte’s feathers but Donte sees a lot of himself in the boy," says Adam. "When Donte spots Celine, he puts various puzzle pieces together and everything makes sense."
Jason Merrells also returns as one-time head teacher Jack Rimmer. Resigning in Series 3 to become a head teacher role in Dubai, Jack returns to Waterloo Road as a counsellor. "Telling the story of who Jack has become over the intervening years has been a pleasure," says Jason. "The same ethos, drama, humour and integrity are still in place here - it felt like coming home."
Waterloo Road season 15 plot
Waterloo Road isn't afraid of tackling serious issues head-on. What more can we expect?
As we've mentioned, a major theme throughout this series explores young people's mental health. In the case of student Libby Guthrie (Hattie Dynevor), this series shines a light on mentally abusive relationships. Libby is besotted with fellow student Jared (Matthew Khan) - but could there be trouble in paradise?
"Because she’s so in love with Jared, Libby doesn’t see all the red flags in his behaviour,’ reveals Hattie. "She thinks he’s just protecting her but he’s not who he appears to be at all and is quite controlling."
Is there a trailer for Waterloo Road season 15?
There is! Here's a sneak peek of Dame Stella Drake's new role at Waterloo Road...
Waterloo Road season 15 airs Tuesdays at 9pm on BBC One.
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