Waterloo Road (2006) s05e03 Episode Script

Morning, Jo.
Good morning, Steph.
How are you today? Oh, you know me.
Carp diem and all that.
Are you OK? Yeah.
Yeah, absolutely.
I just wanted to check on all my troops, you know.
Well, this is one little soldier you don't have to worry about.
New leaf turned over, nose to the grindstone.
I'm really glad to hear that.
See you later.
See you later.
Whoa! Get off! You're nearly as bad as that bloke in the Copabanana.
Cop a banana? You know what I mean.
Em Mum's bail hearing's in the paper today, so whatever anyone says, just ignore it, OK? - But - Mum'll be home by the end of the day.
- That's all that matters.
- Yeah? Yeah.
By teatime, she'll be back where she belongs.
And so will we.
No more Aunt Julie.
See? That's more like it.
- Hello.
- Morning.
Morning.
How are we? - Kim.
- Max.
- Senior management in ten? - Yeah.
Uh Lindsay James, we've had her aunt on this morning.
Apparently she hasn't exactly been a delight at home.
- So I said we'd keep an eye on her.
- OK.
Let's check with the subject teachers, make sure we're not missing anything.
- Hey.
- Morning.
- You can't go on like this, Tom.
- It just doesn't make any sense.
Why would you make up something like that? - Maybe he's not.
- But he has to be.
It was only the once and we were really careful.
What I mean is, he's got no reason to lie, has he? He's just going on what he's been told.
Everything he knows about you, he's got from his mum.
- If anyone's lying - Anyhow, we'll find out soon enough.
- I'm gonna go and see her today.
- Yeah? Yeah, I'm free all afternoon.
I'll nip off then.
Well, if you're really dreading it, I could come with you.
Cos that wouldn't be awkward at all, would it? They're students.
They don't get up till lunchtime.
And just because you give your number to a boy doesn't mean he'll ring you.
- I know.
- Have you two not been home? What for? My parents think I was at her house and her parents think she was at mine.
Are you still drunk? I should hope so, the amount we put away.
I'm fine, but Slammer Queen over there Eh, shut up! - Miss Campbell.
- Mr Tyler.
Max.
We're in school.
This isn't school.
This is my office.
- Your office? - It's one of the perks of the job.
(Knocking) - Come.
- Morning.
- Hey, Chris.
How's tricks? - Yeah, great.
- Hi, Kim.
- Hiya.
Ah, Rachel, right.
Well, we'll get straight to it.
If we're serious about exam results and improving our league-table positions, we need every single teacher at the top of their game.
A single standard of excellence across the school.
Which has always been our aim, to What we really need is a one-off across-the-board assessment by all heads of department, starting today.
- Can we do that? - Absolutely.
No time like the present.
Shall we? Don't you think this might backfire, huh? Some of the staff may feel it shows a lack of trust.
I've been talking to Jo Lipsett.
She's ready to start today.
You've already set this up? The results in her department are certainly below what we're after, considering her exemplary record.
The staff who are being assessed, do they know about it? We want to see how they teach from day to day.
If they're good enough, and why wouldn't they be, there's no problem, is there? Morning, everyone.
As you all know, Years 7 and 9 are out on field trips today.
Hey! So this gives us the perfect opportunity to start our new staff-wide teacher assessment.
You'll be monitored in class by your head of department starting today.
(Gasping) Why don't you just install CCTV and be done with it? George Orwell, eat your heart out.
Think of it as a clean slate.
New school, new standards, new start.
We'll let you know more as and when.
In the meantime, any questions, Rachel will be happy to answer them.
Departmental heads, I'd like an update at the end of play.
Today? Yes, Tom, if that's not too much trouble.
- That's all I need.
- Don't worry about it.
Window dressing.
Executive head flexing his muscles.
It'd be fine if they didn't expect you to do any actual teaching.
- Are you ready for the off, Steph? - What do you mean? The assessment Mr Tyler was just talking about.
Yours starts this morning, first period.
- But - Don't worry.
Just act like I'm not there.
Anyway, I'm very keen to see this new leaf you've turned over.
Hiya.
That went well.
No way.
This was you when it was just us two.
You're like, "Oh, my God! Boys! Hi.
" No, I wasn't! What about you? I swear you were eyeballing a fire extinguisher.
- No, I wasn't! - Careful.
- What's going on? - Nothing.
Nothing? You stink of alcohol.
Where have you been? Nowhere.
We're just tired from studying.
Yeah, right, and I'm Beyoncé.
Look, you two'd better sort yourselves out.
I am not having you coming into my lesson letting me down in front of the head of modern languages, OK? Go on.
It's a good 'un, that, innit? Anyway, I'm gonna get off now.
- So I'll talk to you later.
- See you.
See you in a bit.
All right, mate.
How do you do it? Well, get them to notice you like that? All right.
Have you got someone in mind? Uh no, no, not at all, to be honest.
But I was just wondering for future reference.
Right, yeah.
Course.
Future.
So come on, then.
What's the secret? Well, obviously, good looks help.
To be honest, mate, yours won't.
- Thank you.
- Don't worry about it.
But the next thing a girl wants is a guy who makes 'em laugh.
Works every time, I'm telling you.
Look at Johnny Vegas.
See you, then, mate.
(Bell rings) (English pronunciation) Tous les jours je viens à la plage et regarde la marée monter et Trés bien, Denzil, mais comme pensent les autres? Very good, Denzil, but what do the others think? Anyone? OK um what was the passage about? Denzil? First it was about a dog.
Then it was about a boy who falls in love with his mother.
(Laughter) Not quite, but a good try.
Anyone else? Em.
It's about a man describing how he loves the sea.
Thank you, Em.
Le mer: the sea; la mére: the mother.
Anything else? OK um read your worksheets and answer the questions carefully and take your time.
They're um very slow this morning.
Mmm.
"What an unaccountable creature is that brother of mine, to send them to the house as an inn.
Ha-ha.
I don't wonder at his impudence.
" (Sighs) - Oh, come on.
Who's reading the maid? - What? - Danielle, it's not like you.
Look, if you can't be bothered to read aloud, at least do us the courtesy of trying to stay on the right page.
We wouldn't want to waste our head of department's time, would we? - Right, someone else read it.
Triona.
- "But what is more, madam" Just get a grip.
Stop being such a lightweight, yeah? "asked if you were the bar maid.
He mistook you for the bar maid.
" You were coasting there, Steph.
It's like you dug out some old worksheet that you've been using since you qualified.
In subsequent lessons I want to see Subsequent lessons? What I want to see is a sharper focus, a clear command of the syllabus and a little bit of classroom control.
If an exercise isn't working, then you make it work, or you just try something else, you don't blame the kids.
You're there to teach them, Steph.
You have to give them what they need to learn.
OK, got it.
Look, I'm here to help you, all right? I am not here to try and catch you out.
Give me your lesson plans beforehand and I can help you get them into shape.
Lesson plans? Won't that ruin the surprise? - (Knock at door) - Jo? How's it going? OK.
I'm just getting started, really.
Don't be afraid to come down on her hard.
She's exactly the kind of teacher that's been holding this place back.
Hang on a minute.
Aren't I the one doing the assessment? Yes, yes, of course, but you said yourself, Steph's a poor performer with questionable attitude.
This would be the perfect opportunity.
Look, Max, I would feel much happier having this conversation after I've actually assessed her, yeah? You're right.
All I'm saying is that if we send out a clear message to the others, she'd be the perfect place to start.
(Printer whirs) Yeah, you normally need about two, just to - Girls today, eh, Bolton? - I know.
Shocking.
I don't know why youse bother with them clubs, man.
They're a rip-off.
Maybe we like them because guys like you don't go there.
Yeah, you're right, I don't go to 'em cos they're full of girls like you getting sleazed up by greasy older guys.
He has got a point, though.
I mean, why do you go to those places when you've got talent right here? Oh, leave it out, will you? I'm close enough to puking as it is.
Hair of the dog's what you need.
It works every time.
We're in school, if you haven't noticed.
So? CHRIS: Right, try it three or four times and see if the results vary.
Problem, Paul? Um yes, sir.
The retort stand, it keeps slipping.
Yeah.
Cupboard down there, box on the left.
Right No way.
(Sighs) I don't know how you can be so calm.
Look at all this and I don't even know when I'm being assessed yet.
Oh, Helen, when you've been doing this job as long as I have, it takes more than some assessment to get the wind up you.
- I'm prepared.
- That all? We had to have a lesson plan for every class at John Foster's.
Normally, you see, I do my work up here, but if Mr Tyler wants us to write it down, then I know he can be a bit severe, but he is a pretty inspirational leader.
Really? So was Mussolini.
I'm not sure I've ever seen you plan a lesson before.
And you still haven't, Tom.
I went on the computer and found some old BEd student coursework.
Right, you lot, get on with your work.
I just need a word with Miss Mason.
What are you doing? You wanted hair of the dog.
Ethanol, the chemical name for alcohol.
Your cocktail awaits, madam.
I'm not drinking chemicals.
Duh! Everything is a chemical.
And this is alcohol.
No? OK.
Yeah.
It's not bad, man.
Not bad at all.
- No way.
I'm not drinking that.
- Give it here.
Now who's the lightweight? And have you noticed, right, you see these kids on TV, these teenagers, and they look fantastic.
Yeah, they've got brilliant hair, lovely clothes, very glamorous.
But, in reality, they just look like me.
Just like me.
Are you doing stand-up? Um, no.
No, that's not what I'm doing.
Oh, so it must be rap.
- Did you want something? - It's nothing to be ashamed of.
I love stand-up.
Come on.
Let's hear some.
- No.
No way.
- Come on.
I can give you feedback.
- No.
- Go on, just one tiny little joke.
- One teensy-weensy - Just get out.
OK, there's no need to be like that.
Ros.
Stupid.
Oooh! Oi, oi! Shut up.
Have some of this.
No.
I want that whatsit, a hairy dog.
Oh, just drink some of this so we don't get busted.
I don't want to.
- Right, well, you're on your own.
- Eh, is everything OK? - There's only one Miss Haydock! - Shh.
What's going on? - She's worse than she was before.
- I don't understand.
She can't go walking around like this.
She'll be excluded in a heartbeat.
- We're in your class next.
- You're not.
There is no way she can come into my class.
I'm being inspected.
I cannot believe that you've picked today of all days.
I was hoping you two were gonna dazzle Miss Lipsett with your brilliance.
Now there's more chance of her knocking her out with her breath.
Quick, get her in there.
Get her a glass of water and she can sleep it off.
And, listen, if anybody finds her, we never had this conversation, all right? You, young lady, I want you on top form for period four.
Get her in.
- Thanks, miss.
- Where I don't wanna go in here.
PAUL: Roll up, roll up.
Come on.
That's £1.
50, mate, for you.
There you go.
£1.
50.
£1.
50, by the way.
- £1.
50.
- Cheers, love.
PAUL: There you go, fella.
£1.
50, mate.
- £1.
50, please.
- Get it while you can! It's going fast! - £1.
50 a pop.
- I've only got a quid.
Don't worry about it.
Just keep it between me and you.
- £1.
50, mate.
Cheers.
- Can I have one, please? - Thank you.
£1.
50.
- £1.
50, please.
Thank you.
Come on.
£1.
50, £1.
50, £1.
50.
- Does it have any E numbers in it? - Is that the stuff you gave Danielle? - Yeah.
Are you after some and all? - You're selling it? - Course.
- You can't.
Danielle's hammered out of her mind.
Duh! That's what alcohol does to people.
It's good stuff, though.
It's not like normal alcohol.
Danielle only swigged it a few times and she's mashed.
Yeah? If it does that to her, what's it gonna do to these? - Can I have one? - They know what they're buying.
What they do with it, that's up to them, innit? Until they get busted and they find out you've nicked it.
You're gonna get us all excluded, you div.
You said it was alcohol, man.
It is, it's just uh just a bit stronger or summat.
What, you don't know? Why's this down to me? You do science too.
Don't sell any more, OK? I don't want that Tyler on my back again.
Can I have a red one, please? £1.
50, mate.
- What are you doing? - You've got some as well.
Sorry.
- Hiya.
- Hey, Bolton.
- You got that bottle? - I'll get the money.
- Do you not believe me? - I just need it back.
- You can have your quid.
- Do you not think I can handle it? - Something like that.
Give it here.
- What if I don't? Sam, I ain't got time for this, man.
What you doing? Watch it.
What are you What's that? Give me Bien.
Maintenant nous allons examiner le explanation de la piece.
Um Why are we doing this, miss? You might not find this challenging, Karla, but that doesn't mean It's not challenging, that's the problem.
The grammar's basic, the vocab is a GCSE standard and the piece itself feels like it's come from a really old textbook.
Really? Well, maybe you should swap places with me, Karla.
Why, miss? You're the teacher.
It's just that this isn't teaching us anything.
Well, best let me be the judge of that, eh? Aleesha.
Aleesha.
What? I think you'll find the word you're looking for is pardon.
Or more appropriately (French accent) pardon.
Is something distracting you, Aleesha? Something that perhaps you'd like to share with us? - No.
Sorry, miss.
- Good.
Then I'd like you to read section B, please.
(Phone rings) I don't quite believe this.
Bootlegging in a school? It's a first for me too.
It's two of Waterloo Road's finest, is it, Paul Langley and my old friend Bolton Smilie? I told you not to sell any more, you idiot.
Look, we're raking it in.
What's your problem? You two! Here, now.
Ethanol? Selling legitimate alcohol would be bad enough.
- But ethanol? - OK, who have you sold this to? - I don't know.
- Not good enough.
I don't know everyone in the school, you know.
Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? Right, I think we need to go from class to class before someone drinks this stuff.
We need a more direct approach.
Joyce, will you phone the fire service, tell them it's a false alarm? (Fire alarm rings) Out! OK, everyone, leave your things and leave the building calmly and quietly.
No running.
- Eh! - Miss Dillon, this way, please.
Saved by the bell, eh? I don't know what was worse, the outdated plan or the lifeless way you delivered it.
Anyone would think you hadn't written it yourself, Steph.
Hmm.
Would they indeed? (Fire alarm continues ringing) The liquid being peddled by these two is poisonous.
Drinking even a small amount could make you seriously ill.
Anyone who bought some should come forward now.
We need to collect every last drop of this stuff, guys, so no one gets hurt.
OK, you leave us no choice.
Members of staff will search your pockets.
They'll then go inside and search each and every schoolbag, every locker.
There's no hiding place.
RACHEL: Well done, kids.
You're doing the right thing.
Mr Budgen, I'll leave you in charge to take down the names and collect all the contraband.
(Mouths) (Mouths) Steph, how's the assessment going? Should be a walk in the park for a seasoned pro like you.
Yeah, yeah, it is.
Can you just? RACHEL: Steph? Danielle, come Danielle? Danielle? Danielle! Dan Danielle! I just thought you should know I'm gonna go and see your mum today.
Finally decided to accept the truth, then? Look, Josh, I don't know why your mum's told you what she did, but it just isn't true.
It can't be.
Oh, so Mum's a liar now, is that what you're saying? No.
Mistaken, maybe.
So not only do you just walk away and leave us, you then have the nerve to blame us to cover your own arse.
- Josh - Just leave me alone.
Josh.
Danielle! Steph.
Steph, what is going on? Danielle.
I think she's drunk some of that stuff.
What do you say that? (Thud) STEPH: Oh, my God, Danielle.
Sweetie, come on.
Ethanol? Where did she get hold of that? - She stole it from school.
- What concentration was it? - And how much did she have? - I can't imagine it was a lot.
It doesn't have to be with ethanol.
Find out how much she had.
That'd be great.
- Can't you just pump her stomach? - No point.
By now she'll have absorbed it all into her system.
All we can do is keep an eye on her, monitor the damage and hope for the best.
I've never heard anything like it in my life.
An illicit alcohol ring here in school.
- I can think of worse things.
- Like what? - Knives, guns, drugs.
- Should be this place's motto.
Alcohol is a drug.
Yeah, but this was ethanol, which they stole, well, which I let them steal from my classroom.
GRANTLY: Don't know why they bothered.
Tastes like shoe polish and gives you a splitting headache.
But they were selling it as alcohol cos that's what the kids wanted.
I can't believe you're defending them.
I'm not, but the kids will be drinking, whether they're buying it from Paul Langley or from a supermarket or nicking it from home.
And you think that's all right, do you? No, but us just saying they shouldn't, that doesn't achieve anything.
It doesn't teach them the dangers or how to drink safely.
It just makes us feel like we've done our bit when all we're really doing is washing our hands of it.
Shoes.
OK.
Danielle, can you hear me? Danielle? Danielle? Can you hear me? I don't know.
They're saying she might have hypoglycaemia and other horrible things.
No.
Anyway, I need the information off the ethanol bottle.
Yeah.
Well, just let us know as soon as you hear anything.
Thank you, Steph.
- Well? - It's not good.
Being monitored, but we're just gonna have to sit and wait.
Steph clearly knew something.
Why else charge into the building like a demented bison? Well, under the circumstances, it's a good job she did.
Oh, my God.
Danielle.
Not now.
(Danielle retches) Em, come here.
- They're not letting her out.
- What? I'm sorry.
I was sure they'd release her, but she's gotta go back to jail.
What about us? Maybe if we tell them how much we miss her You said she'd get out, Lindsay.
This isn't right.
I want to see Mum.
We can't, not till after the trial.
What? She's not allowed to speak to us cos we're witnesses, some crap like that.
What if they find her guilty? - Em, that's not gonna happen.
- How do you know? You said she'd be home tonight, cooking us dinner by the time we got back from school.
Em, Em, you've gotta stop this, please.
Be brave, yeah? Mum'd hate to see you like this.
That's it.
Good girl.
Look, you've gotta trust me.
Everything's gonna be OK.
It's just some stupid judge.
You've gotta stay strong, yeah? Do you have any idea what you've done? You've risked the wellbeing of other pupils' lives for your own personal gain, flouted several school rules, lowered the tone of school life and, to top it all, broken the law.
Do you think this is funny? Danielle Harker's in hospital because of you.
Look, she didn't have to drink what we offered her.
We didn't force people to buy our stuff.
They were queuing up for it.
- Supply and demand, innit? - Show me some respect! Max.
Just because there's a demand doesn't make it OK.
What you two did was wholly unacceptable.
Yes? Yes, sir.
Obviously we don't know the full extent of the damage you've done to Danielle, but rest assured, gentlemen, I intend to make an example of you both.
- Have you got a problem with that? BOTH: No, sir.
That sort of dumb insolence drives me mad.
Clearly.
My mum says that your mum must've been really frightened to do what she did.
Thanks.
It's mad, isn't it? Any time I try to talk about it, Lindsay just tells me, don't worry, cos Mum'll definitely be let out at the trial.
Well, she can't know that.
There's always a risk.
That's what I keep saying, but it's always "Shut up, Em" and "Be brave, Em.
" My mum says that you should never bottle things up, because the longer you do, the more upset it'll cause and that'll just make the problem even worse.
It's all right for you, but who can I talk to? There are people that understand.
I think she's perked up a bit.
That's just the rehydration.
Doesn't mean she's out of the woods yet.
Ow.
You're big enough to get in this state, you're big enough to take a pinprick.
- She's been poisoned.
- Course she has.
It's never their fault, is it? I'm sorry.
It's just the amount of time we have to allocate to the likes of her.
Stupid teenagers, all messed up.
Looks like she's one of the lucky ones.
Whatever she drank today, on top of last night's binge, it could have caused some real damage.
I'll check on her again in a little while.
Philip.
I'm sorry about earlier.
I shouldn't have kicked off at you like that.
OK, well, I'm sorry for whatever it was I did that made you so worked up.
No, it wasn't you.
I was just You're the last person I thought'd be doing stand-up.
- Thanks.
- Cos you're quiet, shy.
Well, that's just it, isn't it? You know, if I've got to be really awkward and figure out what I'm gonna say before I say it to one person, then it's not much of a bigger step to being in front of a crowd.
It's not more difficult in theory.
You'd better get practising, then.
If you lose it in front of an audience I won't.
At least, I hope not.
Well, don't, because normal Philip's pretty funny, but mad, shouty Philip, not so much.
All right, so that's normal Philip funny, mad, shouty Philip, not so funny.
Yeah, that's pretty much it.
I guess I'll have to (Shouts) bear that in mind! I've just proved your point, haven't I? - I'm - Yeah, cos I See you.
That was good.
I don't I don't remember.
I don't remember much of anything.
Bits of last night, bits of school, but The main thing is you're gonna be OK.
Yeah, right.
My dad, school Well, you'll have to deal with that as and when.
For a while it was looking really serious, Danielle.
Why did you do it? Because it's fun.
(Sighs) I've had fun, Danielle, and, believe me, it doesn't end up like this.
You're a bright girl.
You don't need me to tell you that this is not right.
You have got off very lightly this time, but you've got to be more careful.
Being that drunk, anything could have happened to you.
And I'm not saying don't have fun.
God knows I'd be the last person to say that to you.
Anyway, I'm gonna get back to the school and let them know you're through the worst.
- Miss Haydock? - Mm-hm? Thanks for, you know I'm just glad you're gonna be OK.
So they're gonna keep her in overnight just to make sure, but they don't think there's any permanent damage.
That's something, I suppose.
And I've told her that that's no way to behave, staying out all night, coming into school half cut, so don't worry about that.
But what we are worried about is you saw her in that state and then again after she drank the ethanol and you did nothing about it.
Aleesha told us everything.
That amounts to professional misconduct.
Danielle is a good kid.
I didn't want her getting in trouble for letting her hair down once in a while.
Yes, but that delay could have resulted in her getting seriously ill or worse.
I know.
If I could turn back the clock and do things differently, I would.
But the main thing is that she's OK.
I can't believe you're getting your knickers in a twist because I didn't stick to the bloody rules.
- Steph.
- They're there to protect the children.
- And so are the staff.
- I was trying to help her.
But you're her teacher.
You're not her mate.
Exactly.
Her mates were making it worse.
You could have nipped it in the bud, couldn't you? If you'd reported Danielle, there is no way she'd have ended up in hospital.
What she needed from you was protection, Steph.
You know, a mature response.
If you'd have acted like a teacher, none of this would have happened, would it? It's my fault.
Anyone else, this wouldn't have happened.
But it was me.
Oh, Steph.
Steph, don't There she is.
No.
Her.
Come on.
- (Whimpers) - No one makes my little sister cry.
I didn't.
I didn't.
It was you she was upset about.
If you so much as look at her again, you'll get worse than this.
You understand? Breathe a word and your life's over, yeah? Finished.
You can keep that and all.
Em! Em! You OK? Does it matter? Steph.
No, seriously.
You two were right.
There's me, all pally with the kids, thinking that's what it's all about.
And then look what happens when I try to help them.
Look at Danielle, Maxine.
From where I'm sitting, everything I touch just turns to crap.
I'm sorry, Steph.
I know you've had a difficult day.
And I wish that deep down I could say that I can see a really good teacher, but it's not true.
I like you.
No, I do, I really like you, but at the moment, I don't think you're up to teaching in my department.
So, what, you gonna sack me? No.
But if you wanna stay, I wanna see some real commitment.
Proper hard work.
Yeah? Yeah? There you go, then.
What's this? After today's events, we all think that you'd benefit from some retraining.
- What, you sending me back to college? - Mm-hm.
Part time.
Think of it as a refresher course.
- Do I have to? - Yeah.
The boys, definite exclusion.
Temporary exclusion.
Aleesha and Danielle? Should be dealt with through pastoral care.
Look, whatever happened today, you can't just punish alcohol out of these kids' lives, can you? Let's use Danielle as an example.
You saw how shaken up Aleesha was.
This is a perfect opportunity to make an issue of the problem.
Fine.
Kim's a safe pair of hands.
Steph Haydock, on the other hand, I'd happily sack in a heartbeat.
Heaven knows we've got enough cause to.
And I would rather we didn't.
Jo Lipsett's already been bending my ear.
She's happy to take on responsibility for Steph but on a last-chance basis.
Quite a roll call, that.
Waterloo Road's very own dirty dozen.
What was it you were saying this morning, Max, your brave speech in the staff room? Clean slate? New school, new standards? Did you actually mean any of that? Course I did.
Maybe you ought to implement it starting with yourself.
Because while you insist on seeing the old Waterloo Road as the source of every problem that we have here, this place does not stand a chance.
Sorry, but you really need to see this.
KIM: OK, there you go.
CHRIS: Here she is.
Who did this? She won't say.
(Sighs) I don't believe this is happening.
It seems like we're not alone in seeing a divide between the schools.
Karla, whoever did this to you will be very, very sorry.
Shall we go and get you cleaned up, hmm? - Chris, can you? - Yeah.
(Sighs) I have to say, I will be glad to get out of this place this evening.
Yeah, um I'm not gonna be able to make it tonight.
- Oh.
- It's just something's come up.
A friend in need, that kind of thing.
Well, it's it's a shame.
But maybe another time? Yes, sure.
Sure.
the answer I was looking for.
Can we get back to where we were? The character of Theresa actually changes the rest of the play.
It is such an important point Just excuse me a minute.
Oh, my God.
Tom Clarkson.
It just seems that he's incapable of accepting anything that he doesn't fully agree with.
I don't know if that's fair.
Kim, he's so divisive.
Everything's us and them with him.
It's It's my way, it's my school, it's my teachers, you know? And he humiliated me in front of the staff with that assessment thing.
He cuts me out of the loop at every single chance he gets.
But do you not think that you would have always found it difficult, anyone coming in as the executive head? Sure, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, there might be an element of that.
But, you know, this feels like a coup.
It feels It feels like he's trying to take the school from me.
Anyway, where would we be without these things to try us? Mmm.
All this stuff he's coming out with, it's like he's obsessed.
I don't know where he's getting it from.
He said you told him but why would - I did.
- But why? Because it's true, Tom.
You're his father.
- What? - Biologically.
But I can't be.
We took precautions.
Uh Well, how can you be sure? You can't have had tests done.
There was nobody else it could have been.
I don't make a habit of it.
(She sighs) Can you not see it? His eyes.
I I don't believe you.
Why didn't you tell me? You were a student.
It was a one-night stand.
I know I should have said something, I can see that now, but we were never gonna have a life together.
Be realistic.
- Well, why did you lie to Josh, then? - I didn't.
You told him that I abandoned him, that I walked away.
No, I told him that you were too young and you couldn't handle it.
I was gonna tell him the truth, but he just seems to accept it.
What, that I'm some heartless git that left him in the lurch? You should've told us both the truth when he came to the school.
- How did I know you worked there? - You lied to him and you lied to me.
I didn't mean any harm.
It was just an accident.
That you let carry on for 14 years? While all this time I've had a son and not known about it? I can't handle this.
- Drive safely.
- Take care.
See you later.
Miss Campbell.
Mr Tyler.
Often lurk about in pub car parks, do you? Oh, I just happened to be passing.
How's Rachel? You didn't tell her about No.
No, course not.
Anyway, what am I gonna say? It's all so furtive, even I don't know what's going on.
Just being careful.
Maintaining that balance between personal and professional.
Right, is that what it is, is it? I'm surprised a woman with your obvious talents struggling with something so simple.
My obvious talents? I can explain them to you if required, over a bottle of wine.
I thought you'd have seen enough booze for one day.
At school, yeah.
But does this look like school to you? No, Mr Tyler, it does not.
Well, then.
Tom, look, I just wanted to say sorry for the way this has happened.
That makes everything OK, then, doesn't it? Tom, I know this is horrible for you, but you've got to believe, I never meant to hurt you, in any way.
Please don't hurt Josh.
Whatever's happened, however badly I've got this wrong, it doesn't change the fact he's your son.
You can't just walk away.
That's rich.
First I don't deserve to know and now you're telling me I can't walk away.
Make up your mind.
Josh came looking for you.
He obviously feels he needs something that I can't give him.
Until ten minutes ago, Josh was just another kid I taught.
One among hundreds.
He means nothing to me.
You can't rewrite the last 14 years.
Don't say that.
Look, I've nothing against the kid, but there's nothing there.
Because of you.
You chose to deny him a father.
Not him, not me, you.
Tom.
Josh is completely blameless in this.
Look, I know you're angry.
You've got every right to be.
But, please, I am begging you, he's your son.
Tom.