[ Down-tempo music plays ]
[ Freewheel clicking ]
[ Baby cooing ]
[ Up-tempo music plays ]
Jordan?
[ Dog barking in distance ]
[ Door closes ]
[ Up-tempo music plays ]
MANDY: 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, and 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.
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
Were you drinking when you drew this picture?
Does everyone know about it?
You can´t do nothing in Ackley Bridge.
Everyone know what you´re up to.
And don´t you teach my Razia any tricks.
She got bloody plenty of her own.
If 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.
EMMA: 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.
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
It weren´t my fault.
So all the governors will be here,
and, uh, we´ll have loads of prospective parents, we hope.
Um, so, please, just everybody on their best behavior,
and, uh, let´s just, um...
...let´s just make a success of today.
Got a minute?
See that?
They split up,
but they´ve still got to 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.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
RIZ: He´s got no shame.
Mrs. Carter and Mr. Bell´s bust-up --
like that´s naught to do with him.
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
Dad? You got my speech?
Yeah.
I looked over it.
A 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.
[ Whispering ] Someone´s feeling the pressure.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Also I´ve got, um, 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?
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
Oi. Stranger.
What you doing here?
Jamie will 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 look after him in your frees when you´re in sixth form.
Why would I want to do that?
Why would I look after someone else´s kid?
What?
I´ve one a DNA test. He´s not mine, Candice.
You got a DNA test?
All that guilt you put me on about not seeing him
and he´s not even mine.
Are 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 the 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?
´Cause 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 -- Leave it, Jordan, ´cause --
My brother Cory?
And this is one of our science classrooms.
And this is Ms. Shariff.
You gonna come say hello, Ms. Shariff?
Hiya. We´re learning about catalysts.
We´re big believers here in practicals.
Hands-on experimentation with students is encouraged.
-Um, please... -[ Indistinct shouting ]
Miss.
-Uh, sorry. -[ Laughter ]
GIRL: I don´t know what I did wrong.
Right. Shall we, uh, move on to the next class?
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
You´re just a liar, Candice. That´s what you are.
Don´t talk to her like that. I´ll give you a bloody thumping.
You´re a joke, Candice, a stupid girl who got knocked up.
You get out. Go.
-Go. -Don´t touch me.
-Here, Jordan. -KANEEZ: Shame on you.
Don´t worry. Don´t worry. I´ll sort him.
You´ll sort me, will you? It´s all right. Mr. Bell´s here.
Oi. Come to Ackley Bridge.
Get taught by a hero -- Mr. Steven Bell.
Um, have I not done enough for you, kid?
-Come on. Don´t show me up. -Oh, yeah.
You´ve done loads for me.
Hiding my baby around school, putting me on the rugby team.
Absolute star he is.
I´ve put my neck on the line for you.
I promised Mrs. Carter you´d behave, and look at you.
Am I 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, uh, shall we come back to art?
This way.
-Get out. -What are you doing, man?
Get out of my sight! Now!
I´m done with you.
Go!
Come on.
-[ Door slams ] -Are you mad?
Squaring up to a teacher like that.
After all the trouble you´ve been in here.
And 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´s she want, money?
´Cause you know she´s got to 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?
[ Exhales sharply ] With Candice?
Give me some respect, Jordan.
Why?
What did she say?
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
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?
[ Music continues ]
I didn´t know you´d been with her!
She said she liked me!
[ Horns playing off-key ]
[ Music ends, applause ]
MANDY: 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. -[ Applause ]
ALYA: 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.
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
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.
[ Audience murmuring ]
Mum.
Hey, Missy. You all right?
How´s your mum?
Mm. 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-I need to go anyway.
I´ll be there at the hearing tomorrow.
I just need to see Ms. Carter.
Like she cares.
Hayley in care is her fault anyway.
SAMI: Hey, Emma.
Sami. Have you seen Steve?
It´s true, isn´t it -- Mandy and Mr. Nawaz?
-How long are you gonna be? -I don´t know. Why?
´Cause you might have a surprise at home.
Oh.
Oh, well, I´d better hurry back, then, eh?
Look, can we grab a coffee or something?
´Cause we need talk.
I don´t think we should, do you?
Anyway, I´ve got to go and see the headmistress.
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´m -- 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-I can see you´re busy.
Yes, Ms. Keane?
I need to...
I need to have tomorrow morning off.
Really? Now?
It´s Hayley Booth´s, uh, hearing, and it´s important.
I´m...gonna go.
Are you okay?
Yeah.
I´m sorry about you two. I-If...
Look, I-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, isn´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.
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
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.
[ Sniffs ]
-Oh, no! -Oh!
Don´t tell me I´ve ruined another one.
Oh, don´t worry. Don´t worry.
Quick!
We can scrape off the burnt bits.
[ Voice breaking ] Forget it! I messed it up!
[ Sighs ]
I can´t concentrate!
I feel awful!
Methadone makes it no better.
[ Sobs ]
Social won´t let Hayley come back to this.
CHLOE: 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.
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
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.
[ Music continues ]
[ Cellphone beeps ]
[ Vehicle approaching, horn honking ]
[ Birds chirping ]
[ Horn blaring ]
What are you doing?
I thought I´d come see you.
Whose car is that?
Mr. Bell´s.
[ Up-tempo music plays ]
-[ Engine revving ] -CHLOE: [ Screams ] Oh, my gosh!
Jordan, no. Jordan, don´t. Don´t!
It´s -- It´s --
Oh, my God, Jordan. Jordan --
[ Screams, gasps ]
Jordan, are you crazy?
Jordan! [ Screams ]
-[ Engine revving ] -Stop it now. Jordan, stop it.
It´s not funny. [ Gasps ] Oh, my...
Oh! Aah!
[ Screams ]
[ Birds squawking in distance ]
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.
No. 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?
Naught 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?
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
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.
[ Music continues ]
Ms. Keane.
EMMA: 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.
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
[ Indistinct conversations ]
So are you gonna buy me a pint, Miss?
Uh, no. I think not tonight.
Aw. What about me mum, then?
Uh, tell you what.
Why don´t you give them 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.
-MAN: Do you need anything? -Can I help you?
Sure?
Yeah.
Who were that?
You don´t want to 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 got to try. And God knows you´re trying.
MISSY: All right?
Yeah.
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
RIZ: Making a show of us in front of the whole school.
ALYA: 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, isn´t it?
-Riz. -I´m going to check on Mum.
So now we´re 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 -- [ Sighs ]
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.
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
[ Cellphone ringing ]
Hey.
Someone´s nicked my car.
What? Oh, my God.
Have you called the police?
Yeah, of course. I just, um...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 for --
[ Computer chimes ]
Um...Uh, can I --
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 speak to you later.
Bye.
Okay. Bye. Bye.
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
[ Birds chirping, dog barking in distance ]
[ Up-tempo music playing ]
CHLOE: Are we gonna get cold?
JORDAN: You what?
Sleeping up here, aren´t we? Or do you want to drive?
We can´t sleep here, can we?
Why not? You shouldn´t drive in the dark.
It´s dangerous.
-[ Chuckles ] -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.
[ Door closes ]
Chloe?
[ Clock ticking ]
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
I´ve...never...
Never...
No.
I 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?
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
You all right?
I just want to leave this place.
I hate it here. I hate the people.
I hate you, Ackley Bridge!
[ Music continues ]
I didn´t know who else to call.
It´s all right.
I mean, maybe she´s out with her friends,
but she did all this, and said she´d be here and...
It´s fine.
[ Exhales deeply ]
We...We can´t do this.
You´ve got a fiancée.
I met her. She´s nice.
-She´s good for you. You said... -I-I know.
This is the worst timing ever, but...
We just need to find Chloe.
[ Music continues ]
SIMONE: I´m sorry, Missy.
I´ve let you down so much.
[ Dog barking in distance ]
[ Knock on window ]
[ Up-tempo music plays ]
Mum?
[ Birds chirping ]
[ Cellphone ringing, buzzing ]
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.
-You want me to take you? -No. 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?
See you.
[ Cellphone rings ]
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.
I just hate to think of her on her own, Mandy.
Her mother´s still a right state and if she loses a sister...
-[ Doorbell rings ] -God.
I know what you´re asking, but I can´t go for you.
She´s 16 years old.
Look, I´ve -- I´ve got a meeting with the governors.
She´ll just have to go on her own.
And you´d better deal with your daughter.
Um...
I´ve got to go.
[ Exhales deeply ]
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. It turns out he´s the famous car thief.
They found it.
Gonna go and get it now. The taxi´s outside.
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.
One of the reasons why I love you.
Do 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.
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
[ Birds chirping ]
[ Engine shuts off ]
[ Up-tempo music plays ]
Actually, can we go back into town, please?
You´re gonna be late.
I should be somewhere else.
[ Engine starts ]
Oh, are they back together again happy?
SAMI: Well, hopefully, yeah.
You still engaged?
Yep.
Still liaising?
Yeah.
You know you´re wearing same jumper as yesterday?
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
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 anymore.
Look, I´m not gonna say anything,
and I´m not gonna tell anyone.
I promise you.
It´s done.
I´m hoping I´m gonna 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.
Ms. Carter?
All right, girls. Ms. 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.
[ Cellphone ringing ]
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Mum.
Oh. [ Exhales deeply ]
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 and see Missy.
Well, what´s this? Some kind of punishment?
No. It´s 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 --
we´d still be every other weekend.
Like, always doing something... fun.
Oh. Well, I´m sorry for trying to spoil you.
I don´t want spoiling.
[ Sighs ] I just...
I want my mum.
I always feel like I´m... in your way.
It -- I mean...
What´s up here that you couldn´t have had back in London with me?
I just...
I didn´t think I´d be any good as a full-time parent.
I-I thought I´d be better as a part-time mum, and, um...
...it seems I´m right.
Well, Dad doesn´t want me anymore.
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.
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
Oh, Chloe.
[ Indistinct conversations, telephones ringing ]
I´m sure my mum will be here in a minute.
She promised.
WOMAN: Can we have the Booths, please?
DARREN: They´re calling us in.
The best we can do is get an adjournment
and maybe your mum will have a good explanation.
Uh, just family is usual.
Well, we´ll be unusual.
Uh, Missy, you need to give permission
if you want Mrs. Carter to join you.
I can ask her to wait outside.
Come if you want.
Let´s see if we can buy your mum some time, shall we?
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
[ Indistinct talking on radio ]
-Cheers. Thank you. -Yep.
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, you know?
Now you go and 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.
Y-Your Cory´s?
Yeah.
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
What about the DNA test?
I lied.
Oh, Christ.
Oh, I´m so sorry, Jordan.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
[ Dog barking in distance ]
[ Music continues ]
All right?
I...
Hey.
Shh.
I´ll just be a sec.
Get to class, you.
[ Door closes ]
Does she know anything?
Sami...
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-I get that, but I just don´t understand --
I can´t mess this up, Sami.
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.
[ Telephone ringing ]
RIZ: 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 gonna turn up.
If Ms. Booth isn´t here, I have no choice.
[ Clears throat ]
I am Missy and Hayley´s head teacher...
Mrs. Carter.
...and -- 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 is 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!
JUDGE: I do understand your distress, Missy,
but with the absence of your mother --
[ Door opens ]
[ Exhales sharply ] Buses were a nightmare.
You´ve not started already, have you?
And I didn´t know my proper size.
Woman in the shop said I´ve been wearing the wrong-sized bra
for 20 years.
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
My father came to this country with naught.
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.
[ Whispering indistinctly ]
-They´re taking the mick here. -Mum.
Stop that.
DARREN: I think under the circumstances,
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.
-[ Laughter ] -Yes. Yes!
Sorry.
Yes. That´s great.
[ Exhales deeply ]
Nice one.
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
Mandy not make it back in time?
In time for what?
What have you been saying to them in there?
Oh, 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 of a job ´cause of this.
Mandy´s going nowhere, and neither am I.
What did you say to them?
Ms. Carter...
...the governors will see you after lunch now.
But there´s been some sort of...
What?
An explosion in the chemistry lab.
Some Year 10s, apparently.
If you´ll excuse me, I´d better go and deal with this.
After all, it is my school.
Our school.
We´ll see.
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Hayley!
Raz!
[ Music continues ]
Come here, you. [ Laughs ]
[ Down-tempo music plays ]
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 gonna be sick.
Oh, no, Missy. Don´t, please.
We´re gonna get in so much...
-Trouble! -...trouble!
[ Both laugh ]
[ Mid-tempo music plays ]