List of Waterloo Road characters

Main characters

Senior Management Team

Staff

Introduced in series 1

• Jack Rimmer is the headteacher of Waterloo Road from the start of the series, who initially assumes the position in an acting capacity after his predecessor's public breakdown. His efforts to turn the school around face various challenges, and his confrontational style causes consternation. He has romantic liaisons with Steph Haydock and LEA inspector Heather Davenport, and a more serious relationship with Davina Shackleton. In series 3, after witnessing Izzie Redpath's death he finds it increasingly difficult to cope with the pressures of running the school, and resigns with immediate effect after being reprimanded for financial mismanagement. He briefly returns later in series 3 in an attempt to win Davina back, but she chooses to remain with Tom. In series 15 Jack returns as a counsellor, having left teaching in the intervening years. After becoming his client, Stella Drake offers Jack a job leading the school's renewed pastoral care provision. After a chance meeting with Darius Donovan at an addiction support group, Jack suggests to Stella that Darius may not be ready for more responsibility. Jack accepts the Deputy Head position to prevent Darius from being promoted, but starts drinking again to cope. He discovers that Darius is covering up his part in Stella's granddaughter's death, and punches Darius. With his drinking uncovered, his accusations against Darius go unheard and he is forced to leave the school. He later returns after entering recovery, makes amends with Stella and helps to uncover Darius's criminal activity.
• Kim Campbell is an Art teacher, who is Head of Pastoral Care at the series' start and Headteacher between series 11 and 13. She enjoys the unwavering support of Jack Rimmer, which helps her overcome the trauma of an attempted sexual assault by a pupil. Following a slow-burning flirtation with Andrew Treneman she decides to join him in Rwanda, but returns to Rochdale and her old job during series 4. Her return is tainted by the revelation that her baby daughter was illegally adopted. She subsequently falls into an ill-fated relationship with Max Tyler, from which she falls pregnant, and leaves the school following the birth of her son, Dexter. Off-screen, after Dexter dies Kim refocuses her career and ultimately becomes Headteacher of William Beswick High School. In series 11, she champions William Beswick's change of name to Waterloo Road following a protest by the pupils. She is hit hard by the arrest of pupil Danny Lewis for knife crime, and his later death on school grounds, but finds solace in her reunion with Andrew. She shepherds the school's entry into the academy trust run by Andrew and then steps down from her role, initially with a view to replacing an unwell Andrew as the trust CEO, though this does not transpire. She returns in series 14 and helps to uncover the truth around pupil Boz Osbourne's death, by which time she has married Andrew and become pregnant.
• Stephanie "Steph" Haydock is a long-standing French teacher of questionable ability, who takes over as Head of Pastoral Care in series 3 following Kim Campbell's departure. Rachel Mason later removes her from this position in favour of Tom Clarkson and Steph is briefly made Finance Director, before being removed from that role as well for using false misconduct allegations to gather funds for the school. She is also the guardian of Maxine Barlow between series 2 and 4. In series 17, Steph returns as a cover teacher.
• Izzie Redpath is the Head of Drama and an English teacher, and a single mother to Chlo and Mika Grainger. After her affair with Tom Clarkson is discovered the couple begin living together, until she ends the relationship after Tom is falsely accused of romantic involvement with a pupil. Tom and Izzie reunite after Lorna's suicide, but soon after she is stabbed and killed when intervening in an attack on Jack Rimmer in the school playground.
• Tom Clarkson is an English teacher, who also serves periods as Head of Pastoral Care and Deputy Head. Tom marries Lorna Dickey in the series' first episode, but kisses Izzie Redpath on the same day and is caught between the two women afterwards. After both Lorna and Izzie die, Tom is left as guardian to Izzie's daughters, and blames Jack for her murder. He later enjoys a relationship with Davina Shackleton but soon becomes a parental figure for the Kelly family after becoming romantically involved with their mother, Rose Kelly, and in series 5 learns of the existence of his teenage son, Josh Stevenson, who comes out as gay soon after. He also later indulges in brief romances with Cesca Montoya and Eleanor Chaudry. Professionally, Tom is initially seen as popular but unambitious, but takes to the role of Head of Pastoral Care in series 3. Although he steps down after Maxine Barlow's murder by another pupil, he receives further promotions to Head of English in series 5 and Deputy Headteacher in series 7. After learning of Josh's diagnosis of schizophrenia, Tom makes the decision for them to join the re-opened Waterloo Road in Scotland. He agrees to donate one of his kidneys to Grantly Budgen, but before he can do so is killed in a fall from the school's roof while aiding a troubled former pupil.
• Lorna Dickey, also Lorna Clarkson, is an English teacher and Tom Clarkson's wife, until his affair with Izzie Redpath is discovered. Known for her erratic and manipulative behaviour, Lorna is eventually diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and makes her peace with Tom and Izzie before committing suicide. She also has a brief relationship with Andrew in series 2.
• Andrew Treneman is the Deputy Head of Waterloo Road, hired by Jack Rimmer in the series' first episode. Passionate but unfamiliar with the challenges of an inner-city comprehensive, Andrew's ideas lead him into conflict with Kim Campbell. He briefly becomes Headteacher in series 2, but finds he is unsuited to the position and returns to working under Jack's leadership. After securing a position in a Rwandan school and resigning from Waterloo Road, he declares his feelings for Kim and asks her to come with him. In series 4, he returns out of concern for Kim in the aftermath of her false adoption. They eventually reunite, and Andrew misses his return flight to stay with her. However, he returns to Rwanda off-screen and is not seen again until series 12 when he approaches the new Waterloo Road to assist with a knife crime initiative, desiring to resume contact with Kim. In series 13 Andrew is the CEO of the Lowry Community Academies Trust, which Waterloo Road ultimately joins. After resuming his relationship with Kim, she supports him through his treatment for bowel cancer and Andrew proposes to Kim at the end of series 13.

  Introduced in series 3

• Davina Shackleton is a Teaching Assistant, who initially comes to Waterloo Road as school secretary. After being seconded to the school by investor Roger Aspinall, she learns she had a one-night stand with his teenage son Brett. She also begins a relationship with Jack, later supporting him through his trauma after Izzie's death. At the school, her experience assisting Asperger syndrome pupil Karla Bentham encourages her to become a teacher. She pursues a relationship with Tom Clarkson, but leaves after realising his growing closeness to Rose Kelly.
• Jasmine Koreshi is a newly qualified English teacher. She often butts heads with her Head of Department Grantly Budgen as he doesn't think she's up to the job, but she later earns his respect and he supports her as her union representative when school bully Michaela White falsely accuses Jasmine of hitting her. As a result of these allegations Jasmine is temporarily suspended but returns to the school when the truth comes out. She is also close friends with Davina Shackleton and Matt Wilding. In series 4 she develops a relationship with Head of PE Rob Cleaver, but breaks up with him after he is suspended for giving Bolton Smilie performance-enhancing drugs.
• Matthew "Matt" Wilding is the Head of Music and Drama. Matt is popular with students and staff, but initially hides his homosexuality before slowly becoming more confident. He is also the foster carer for Sambuca Kelly when she is temporarily removed from the family home. After a period in the private sector, Michael Byrne tempts him back to Waterloo Road in series 7, where he successfully builds an unconventional orchestra. During this time, he arranges to have a baby with his friend Rosie. His daughter is born prematurely after an incident at the school, and Matt declines the offer to move to Scotland to remain close to her.
• Grantly Budgen is the longest-serving teacher in the school, and Head of English between series 1 and 4. Curmudgeonly and cynical, Grantly frequently voices objections to the school's management and acts as the staff's union representative. Although known to be lazy in the classroom, over time his dedication to the school becomes apparent. He is also devoted to his wife Fleur until her death in series 7, after which he begins a relationship with Maggie Croft and agrees to join her to run the school house in Scotland. He then develops kidney failure and spends a number of weeks in a coma before returning home to convalesce. On his return to the school, he learns a new kidney donor has been found for him but dies before the operation can take place.
• Eddie Lawson is the Deputy Head of Waterloo Road, taking over from Andrew Treneman. Shortly after his arrival, Jack Rimmer resigns and Eddie is disappointed that Rachel Mason is appointed Headteacher over himself. Despite a difficult start, Eddie quickly develops a strong loyalty to Rachel and stands by her when her past is revealed. In series 4 he begins a relationship with Melissa Ryan, Rachel's sister, unaware that she is already married. He later develops feelings for Rachel, but their burgeoning romance ends when Melissa returns pregnant with Eddie's baby. Eddie leaves the school, feeling it would be too difficult to continue working alongside Rachel.
• Rachel Mason, born Amanda Fenshaw, is the second Headteacher of Waterloo Road. Arriving in the wake of Jack Rimmer's sudden resignation, she makes an uncompromisingly ambitious start but soon wins the support of her staff. However, she is confronted by prospective developer Stuart Hordley, who threatens to expose her true identity and criminal past. The blackmail ends when Eddie Lawson learns the truth, although Rachel is seriously injured in the fire that engulfs the school shortly after and subsequently suffers from post-traumatic stress. In series 5, she oversees the merger with John Fosters but quickly begins to feel undermined by Executive Head Max Tyler. After Max is eventually forced out, Rachel settles back into her role and enjoys the romantic attentions of Adam Fleet, the new Healthy Schools Co-ordinator. Although their relationship progresses quickly to an engagement, Rachel struggles to separate her work and personal life and decides to leave the school after marrying Adam.