New headmistress Karen Fisher sets out to revolutionise the school but faces tough challenges, beginning with two home-schooled pupils who are struggling to adapt to the mainstream education system. Elsewhere, Chris discovers that the girl he slept with is one of his pupils.

Karen's husband Charlie joins the team as a supply teacher, but finds himself in hot water when his son Harry discovers a suspicious text message on his phone. Ruby talks to John about their parenting options after learning about her infertility, and a jealous Jess sabotages Chris's friendship with Karen.

A new sexual health initiative causes uproar among parents, pupils and staff. Charlie confesses his affair to Karen with the hope that she will give their marriage another chance.

Josh vents his own frustrations on a new gay student. A celebration at the Fisher household divides the family as Charlie reveals his true feelings, and Vicki blackmails Chris to improve her grades.

Marcus interferes in Ronan's private life after catching him selling DVDs at school, but his well-meant efforts only complicate things further for the boy and his father. Tom is worried that Josh cannot defend himself when he sees Finn picking on him and urges him to take up self-defence lessons.

Francesca's honest approach in her drugs-awareness class backfires when Sam asks her for money to buy some, but the pupil's dealings leave her facing exclusion from the school. Grantly's personal problems come to the surface and Ruby wonders what has gone wrong with her marriage.

Harry’s bulimia condition worsens with the stress of bullying and his parent’s separation. The school stages the ‘Interschool Debating Contest’.

Vicki struggles to balance personal and school life, and resorts to blackmailing Chris to improve her grades. Grantly struggles to cope with his wife's illness but refuses to take her into care, and Janeece has doubts about her decision to give her baby to Ruby and John.

Chris's plan to install CCTV in the school backfires when Jonah discovers compromising footage. Ruby gets in touch with Steph to see if she can persuade Grantly to sort out his domestic problems, and Janeece takes drastic action when Ruby refuses to give her back baby Poppy.

Grantly's home life unravels when he finally puts Fleur in a home. Elsewhere, a mysterious figure appears in the school and begins to spy on Karen.

Karen and Chris introduce a new single sex teaching initiative, much to the dismay of staff and pupils. Lessons quickly descend into chaos, a situation that is made worse by the arrival of disruptive new student Kyle Stack.

Year ten pupil Billie Taylor is convinced that her own mother is trying to steal her newborn daughter from her. The staff are shocked by Grantly's dishevelled appearance, and decide he needs more assistance at home. Cesca begins tutoring Jonah in one-on-one Spanish lessons.

Nate and Josh's burgeoning romance hits a rough spot when Nate's homophobic dad finds out about their relationship, and Tom is forced to bear the brunt of his anger. Cesca continues to blur the professional and personal boundaries between her and Jonah.

Ronan's scheme to sell exam papers to the other pupils looks set to be a success, however Janeece proves to be more resourceful than first thought and hatches a plan to thwart him. Elsewhere, Cesca's relationship with Jonah spirals further out of control as she desperately uses Tom as a decoy to cover up her feelings.

Harry's cry for attention veers out of control when he steals Karen's mobile phone and uses it to send the staff incendiary emails. Elsewhere, Tom struggles to readjust during his first day back.

Jonah suggests to Cesca that they go public as a couple.

Finn and Ronan organise a rave at an abandoned mill.

The school holds a fashion show.

Adanna reveals her latest plan to unite the sexes at the school. Denzil takes part in a life-threatening stunt, and Ruby and Grantly's writing partnership is under threat from creative differences.

The day of the Waterloo Road pantomime has arrived, but when Finn gets Kyle purposefully kicked off the cast, Sam begins to doubt their relationship. Jonah sneaks out of school to meet Cesca as they rush to Gretna Green, but will the police catch the couple before they reach the church?