Christine Tremarco as Davina Shackleton
Davina was Jack Rimmer's PA and they had a relationship together but Jack found out about her and Brett Aspinall in the second series. Davina recently asked Jack to attempt to make her an assistant teacher she went to Tom Clarkson's class and he told her she had potential. She was appointed as helper to autistic Karla Bentham. Davina has recently taken the role of Karla Bentham's carer at school after going on a course enabling her to understand Karla. Davina is currently in a relationship with Tom Clarkson which Mika Grainger doesn't like as she was with Brett Aspinall as well as, perhaps, out of respect for her mum. When Jack returned in 3x19, he asked her to come with him to his new school in Dubai. Meanwhile, Chlo and Mika were determined to stop her as they knew Tom still loved Davina. Their plan ultimately worked and Davina chose to stay with Tom. At the end of series three, a fire ripped through the school and Davina lost consciousness from the fire and smoke inhalation after being trapped in a corridor with several pupils. They managed to escape and Davina was taken away in an ambulance, but viewers have been left on a cliffhanger as to whether she has lived or died
Jason Done as Tom Clarkson
Tom Clarkson had a relationship with Lorna Dickey (also known as Lorna Clarkson, indicating they were once married). Their relationship broke after Tom and Izzie Redpath shared an intimate moment together. Izzie was later pregnant, but had a miscarriage after her and Lorna were involved in a fight. Tom was nearly sacked because of a schoolgirl crush. Stacey Appleyard has an infatuation with Tom and has tried to get close to him, even making friends with Izzie's daughters (whom Tom was living with as well as Izzie). After making plans to sleep over their house, Stacey moved into the bed with Tom after Izzie was in hospital, losing her baby. Tom did not do anything with Stacey and because of her crush, his life was turned upside down temporarily.
When Izzie found out, they split up, and Tom was kicked out, finding refuge with Lorna in her apartment. For a while, they argued and bickered about each other. Lorna later tried to get them together on her last living day before committing suicide. Her plan worked, and after this, they arranged to get married.
Things became worse for Tom as Izzie was fatally stabbed by Jed Seddon at the end of series 2.
Now Tom has to contend with Chlo's marriage to Donte Charles, and his issues with boss Jack Rimmer who he blames for Izzie's death. Jack gave Tom a chance to take out his frustration on him, and Tom took it.
Following Jack's resignation, Tom told Jack that he didn't blame him for Izzie's death.
Tom recently developed feelings for colleague Davina Shackleton. They were eventually reciprocated, and the two of them officially became a couple, in spite of Jack Rimmer's attempt to get Davina to come with him to Dubai. However, just as they were getting used to being an item, disaster struck. Davina was overcome by smoke inhalation, whilst trapped, along with Bolton Smilie, in a corridor, close to the canteen, which was destroyed by a gas explosion. Bolton managed to get her out, along with several other pupils, and she was taken to hospital. It has yet to be established whether she survived
Eva Pope as Rachel Mason
Rachel is the new Headteacher of Waterloo Road as of episode 7. One of her first acts in office was to diffuse an ongoing situation between two recently split couples; Donte and Chlo Charles, and Brett Aspinall and Mika Grainger.
She has a dark past, that is partially revealed at the end of Series 3 Episode 10 (through a newspaper clipping about a vice crackdown), that she is desperate to keep a secret from the students and staff. She ranked up huge debts at University as she had gained a reputation as a good time girl. To get rid of the debts she met a mystery figure who introduced her to an insalubrious lifestyle. It's a period of her life she's so ashamed of, she'd rather change her identity then carry on living with the same name. It formed part of the cliffhanger ending when Series Three entered its Christmas break.
There is also a noticeable spark between her and Deputy Head Eddie Lawson.
In Series 3 Episode 12 property developer Stuart Hordley (played by Silas Carson and briefly heard of at the end of episode 10) and his secretary Tess Doyle (played by Jo Fisher and previously seen in Series 3, Episode 10), show up and Stuart starts to reveal her dark past with a document showing that she changed her name from Amanda Fenshaw to Rachel Mason and used to live in Hertfordshire and blackmailed her into getting his bid for the new training school re-instated, which she did.
In Episode 13 Stuart took Rachel out for dinner during the lunch break in the LEA meeting to pile on the pressure regarding his bid for the training centre. Stuart's company won the bid, after Rachel quoted a phrase ("a bit too uppity") that Councillor Philby uses while he is on the phone to somebody from a rival company, Ladmore Construction. Philby has no choice but to back Hordley as Rachel has threatened to resign if Hordley is not chosen.
In Episode 14 Stuart took Rachel out for dinner at the end of the day to explain why he blackmailed her, revealing that Tess Doyle has all the evidence that Stuart had been using. Stuart apologises for blackmailing Rachel and says that he will give her all the evidence that Tess has about her past as Amanda Fenshaw and the ones of her as Rachel Mason.
In Episode 15 Stuart gives Rachel the evidence that Tess had, but before she can hide it Eddie walks in, he spots where she has put the envelope. Later Eddie phones a taxi firm and while he is waiting his curiosity get the better of him. He looks in the top drawer of Rachel's desk. Spotting the enverlope he looks inside and finds that Rachel (as Amanda Fenshaw) used to work as a prostitute.
In Episode 16 Eddie confronted Rachel about her past. She told him that she got involved in prostitution when she was 17 and that things, at the time, were bad at home. She also said that it took two years for her to get out of the habit "The only route out was to get myself an education and that is why I'm here." She was offered £1000 a week when she was a prostitute. Rachel also revealed that Stuart Hordley's secretary, Tess Doyle, knew her before she went into teaching. Eddie thinks that Rachel was in on the plan to get Hordley the training centre, he is also concerened that Rachel has slept with Hordley. Rachel denies this and after presure from Eddie (who has cottoned onto the fact that Rachel may have been blackmailed) confesses that Stuart was blackmailing her. Eddie wants to go to the police, but Rachel says no as the truth will come out and if it does she will resign. Eddie talks about how it seems to him that her career is more impotant than the students and he says the truth will come out anyway. Rachel says that they have nothing on Hordley and that it would be her word against his. Rachel then tells Eddie, "I had sex with men for money 20 years ago because I had nothing else," then adding, "You can't see past that." Eddie walks off. Later Eddie hands Rachel his resignation. At the end of the episode a nervous Rachel is sat behind her desk.
In Episode 17 Rachel had to deal with Mika Grainger and Brett Aspinall and their eco-friends. She also had to convince deputy head Eddie Lawson to stay at Waterloo Road, which he does. She is also under pressure from Stuart Hordley as the building work has been delayed and can be seen trying to keep calm whilst informing him what is happening with the building work. Near the end of the episode Rachel and Eddie are having a drink, Eddie will only agree to stay if Rachel phones the council, which she pretends to do after Eddie shows her a bounced cheque from Staurt Hordley. Once Rachel has 'phoned' the council (she really phoned a takeaway place) Eddie says they will face Hordley together, believeing that Rachel has spoken to the council.
In Episode 18 Rachel fought the deportation of pupil Sameen. Eddie said that he would stay at Waterloo Road and help Rachel get rid of Stuart Hordley once and for all or else he would always be influencing and following her. Rachel is threatnened by Stuart after Eddie goes to see him and warns him to stay away from Rachel Meanwhile Rachel decides to talk to Sameen herself. After a heartfelt talk from Rachel Sameen decides to go and be with her family and go back to Iran. Eddie persuaded Rachel to lure Hordley to the school, after they found evidence of him being involved in illegal child labour. She did this and recorded the blackmail conversation on her mobile phone. Eddie then walked in and they confronted him with everything they had. Hordley then taunted Rachel about her past and taunted Eddie about his relationship with her. Eddie lost it and punched him. At the end of the episode Rachel and Eddie watched Stuart drive away. Eddie said he thought they have seen the last of him, but Rachel was not convinced.
In Episode 19 Rachel met Steph's French businessman who refused to put money into the Language Labs. After Steph turned on the charm and Claude complained to Rachel, Rachel removed Steph from her postition as Finance Director. Later Rachel and Eddie encountered Steph at the pub, where Rachel told Steph that she was being removed from her post.
In Episode 20 (final episode of Series 3), Eddie prevents her from finding the newspaper clippings and then asks her out, to which she says yes. Stuart turned up at a Spelling Bee competition and revealed Rachel's secret past to all of Waterloo Road, the visiting school and the staff. Afterwards Eddie goes to find Rachel and we see how much he cares for her when he asks her to stay. However she says she can't, as it could damage the school. Rachel then bumps into Stuart and a fight ensures and Rachel kicks Stuart where it hurts and he falls down the stairs. She goes to check on him but her day goes from bad to worse when an explosion (caused by Staurt's disguarded cigerette) in the canteen rips through the school. She is seen to help an asthmatic (from visting school Forest Mount) out of the school, and then Eddie comes to find her to make sure she is ok. She goes back into the school building (after sending a reluctatnt Eddie to the Assembly Point) to check if anyone is still trapped inside after the fire, only to find Stuart Hoardley (her blackmailer) on the floor. During an attempt to save him part of the ceiling collapses on them and leaves them both trapped, although we are left on a cliffhanger as to whether either of them have been killed or not. However it is likely she survived since she was hit with a small piece of ceiling, was knocked out and only lightly buried but Hordley took the brunt of the smash.
Neil Morrisey as Eddie Lawson
Eddie comes in as a deputy head, and is straight away seen on the radio with Jack Rimmer, promoting their policy of inclusion. On the first day, Eddie showed his stern side by telling off Bolton Smilie. When Jasmine Koreshi warned him about Paul Langley, a pupil who didn't attend her lesson, Eddie and Jack Rimmer visited Paul's home to discover the pupil holding a knife, ready to murder his uncle. Eddie has also stopped a possible battle between Jasmine and Tom Clarkson. Despite their differences Eddie and Jack made a good team, and Eddie fought very hard for Jack during his investigation. Upon Jack's departure, Rachel Mason was made head and the two were instantly at loggerheads (Episode 7).
In Episode 8 Eddie then took some of the boys on a trip and after risking his own life to try and save Bolton's, he ended up in a neck brace. Upon his return, he and Rachel went for a drink and called a truce.
When the bones of a baby were found in the school grounds (in Episode 9), Eddie became unusually distressed, and in an emotionally charged atmosphere, he told Rachel that he had two sons, one of whom was dead. After that the two went to the pub, it seemed they understood each other and they both became flirtatious. Rachel then called Eddie's ex-wife and after some arguments he was allowed to see them, after which he told Rachel he would be thankful for ever and he even bought her a present (Episode 11).
In Episode 16 of Waterloo Road, Eddie was seen handing in his resignation to Rachel, after discovering she used to be a prostitute. He said he was resigning on a point of principle but Rachel said that he couldn't handle the thought of her having sex with men for money twenty years ago.
In the next episode (Episode 17) Rachel tried to show Eddie what he would miss if he left and it seemed to work. At the end of the episode he told her he would stay, if she told the council about her being blackmailed over her past (by Stuart Hordley, who wanted a building contract with the school). Eddie was with her when she rang the council, but it transpired she had just called a takeaway and faked the phone call. After that Eddie told Rachel, that they would face everything together and that he was proud of her.
At the beginning of the next episode (Episode 18), Eddie found out that Rachel had not contacted the council and he confronted her. Later in the episode he apologised and said he understood that she could not go to the council without exposing her past. They agreed to find another way to get Hordley of Rachel's back and agreed to do it together. Eddie then went to see Hordley and told him to cut of contact with Rachel or he would expose him as a blackmailer. Upon his return to the school, Rachel critised him for threatening Hordley but they quickly moved past that when they realised he had been exploiting young persons work hours. Eddie then persuaded Rachel to lure Hordley to the school. However the school was then dragged into an immigration battle, when a pupil turned out to be an illegal immigrant and barricaded herself in the changing rooms with Aleesha Dillon and Danielle Harker. Both Eddie and Rachel managed to get past the barricades to see the pupil. Once that situation was resolved, Eddie and Rachel confronted Hordley, saying they would contact the police if he didn't terminate his contract. Hordley taunted Rachel about her past and then taunted Eddie about his relationship with her. He continued to taunt Rachel, so Eddie lost it and punched him. Afterwards Eddie said he thought they had seen the last of him but Rachel disagreed.
In Episode 19, Rachel and Eddie were both relieved that they hadn't heard anything from Hordley and they started to get ready for the visit of a Frenchman, willing to invest in the school. However when he refused to invest Eddie was forced to cover Steph's lesson. At the end of the day he returned to the school and gave them 30,000 euros. A relieved Eddie and Rachel then went to the pub where they ran into Steph and told her that they had got the money.
In Episode 20 Eddie stopped the staff finding a newspaper cutting of Rachel seen in Episode 10. After he went to Rachel's office and asked Rachel out for a drink, to which she agreed. He then tried to defend Rachel when Stuart revealed Rachel's past in front of everyone. Once again Stuart questioned Eddie's relationship with Rachel. While in Rachel's office he appears to really care about her and it is obvious that he is holding something back from her (most probably the fact he loves her). He says that she has his respect and then asks her to stay, however the moment is interupted by Mrs. Hanson from the exam board. Once the gas cylinders have exploded he goes to find Rachel and ensures she is ok before helping Rachel clear the school. Rachel says that she will have one last sweep of the school, he begs her not to, but he is forced (by Rachel) to the assembly point. When he realises that she hasn't emerged from the school he tries to run back in after her, but is stopped by the firefighters. He the starts to ask the students and staff about her whereabouts, and when he gets no response he tries again to go into the school and get her. However the police wouldn't let him in and he was dragged away shouting by Matt. The last shot of him, shows him worried and heartbroken that Rachel has not appeared out of the school building and he may have lost her without telling her how he truly feels about her.
Shabana Bakhsh as Jasmine Koreshi
Good-looking NQT Jasmine is a government recruiting agent's dream - bright, smiling and enthusiastic. Her face could easily adorn any of their glossy recruitment posters. However, convent-educated Jasmine is one of life's natural self-doubters - a condition which has followed her from childhood. She has never had a serious boyfriend - a surprise given the number of doe-eyed men in the WR staffroom. Her manipulative parents can't hide their disappointment in her choice of career - it's a source of regular family feuds. On her first day, Grantly bets Tom ten quid that she'll be gone by the lunchtime. She's literally shaking with nerves before each lesson. However, Jasmine's secret weapon in her battle against the nerves is her startling ability to assume the persona of a confident kick-ass teacher; she quickly wins the doubters round and establishes herself as a firm favourite with the kids. Jasmine becomes good mates with Davina, they have a shared sense of humour, and swiftly become each other's confidantes.
Chris Geere as Matt Wilding
Matt made his first appearance in Season 3, Episode 1, as a substitute for recently murdered drama teacher Izzie Redpath. He arrived very late into the school day (and the episode) due to delays at the airport, but Jack Rimmer scheduled a meeting the following day at 8 am.
Steph Haydock initially appeared to take a shine to Matt, but in an episode aired on 1 November 2007, Matt revealed to her that he was homosexual; his "housemate" Colin is actually his boyfriend of several years. His homosexuality soon became known to the pupils, and he once caught a group of boys painting "bender" on the door of the male staff toilets.
More recently, Matt's production of the school musical was criticised by fellow new teacher Jasmine Koreshi, who suggested that she could do better.
He has since proposed to his partner Colin, after coming out to his mother, however there has been no more development of the storyline.
Denise Welch as Steph Haydock
Steph Haydock is the head of French at Waterloo Road. She's a lenient teacher, knowing she can't control her classes. Due to this, her classes are usually 'running wild'. Nobody at the school has respect for her, not even her colleague. She does share a distant friendship with Grantly Budgen and has a deep infatuation with Jack Rimmer and makes this too obvious.
Steph was recently close to being fired after apparently lying about the affair between Brett Aspinall and Davina Shackleton (Davina being his current partner). Note that only the affair these two had before she knew he was a student and vice versa (before he knew she was a teacher, or rather assistant) was mentioned; the affair while Davina was with Rimmer has since to be surfaced to Jack. After Davina admits to having an affair with Brett (and not sending the letter for Steph's departure), Steph is now safe with her job.
Haydock is also known to speak too boldly, and mentions things she really shouldn't do (but she probably does this purposely). An example was when Izzie and Tom announced their marriage in series 2, and Steph questioning how they can do that after Lorna's death.
Steph's rivalry with Davina Shackleton has driven her to report her one-night stand with Brett Aspinall to Rimmer, Rimmer got over this when he realised it happened before either of them came to Waterloo road and that it meant nothing. Haydock then went on to tell Jerry Preston(the highly religious sponsor) about Shackleton's encounter with Brett. Jerry demanded that she be sacked. Rimmer agreed only for a short while until he reinstated Davina and told Jerry where to go with his money. This has not made Steph give up on getting rid of her love rival.
She also houses Maxine Barlow, a drug addict and former (or possibly current) girlfriend of troublesome former pupil Lewis Seddon (now working in the school kitchens).
Phillip Martin Brown as Grantly Budgen
The head of English and nearing retirement age, Grantly has had many years to perfect his cynical disenchantment with the teaching profession. He's slightly scruffy, tired and lacks conviction about anything. Grantly wants life on easy street and is distinctly not impressed with Waterloo Road's 'inclusion' policy. He is however delighted when new rookie English teacher, Jasmine Koreshi arrives, and is happy to foist his work upon Jasmine in the name of 'development'. But life gets tough for Grantly when his love of gambling and problems at home are exposed which soon spiral out of control and spill into his work life.
