BBC's Waterloo Road: School for Scandal

Above: Pupils and teachers cease hostilities in the staff-room

Above: Tom Clarkson (Jason Done), Steph Haydock (Denise Welch), Rachel Mason (Eva Pope), Eddie Lawson (Neil Morrissey) and Grant Budgen (Phillip Martin- Brown)

IT may make Education Ministers curl their toes, but there's no denying Waterloo Road has become a phenomenal success story.

The controversial television series, filmed in Rochdale, now boasts staggering viewing figures exceeding five million and the BBC is so delighted that it has commissioned another 20 episodes in May.

The tarnished fictional inner-city school has caused concern among some educationalists for portraying a system in meltdown. Supporters say its gritty realism contains a strong element of truth.

One thing is for sure: Waterloo Road – set and filmed in the heart of a Rochdale estate – is on the scrapheap with despondent pupils and disillusioned staff. Huge emotional problems combined with the portrayal of teaching as the job from hell have caused some hackles to rise.

But, at the end of the day, it's all soap and no documentary. Robin Lonsdale should know - he's head teacher at Falinge Park High School, Rochdale. He said: ‘I watch it very assiduously with my children. I recognise the locations and some of the children because we supply a lot of the extras. I find it interesting in a way that I used to find Grange Hill interesting.

‘Like most things, no one would watch it if it was true to life. It's got to be more sensational than that but there are things in it which do ring true. ‘There are echoes to real life for heads in urban areas like Rochdale. It is made sensational for better viewing, so I don't have kids like Bolton (one of the less-thanangelic boys) in my school.

‘There isn't that potential for anarchy in the schools that I’m aware of. But I find it very entertaining, I like watching it and I like watching what the head does or doesn't do. But the reality of my life is much more boring.

‘It's a grown up version of Grange Hill. The later slot allows it to explore more adult themes so it's much more edgy. If people take it as a piece of fiction and entertainment then I see nothing wrong at all but I think it's dangerous if people think it's real.’

Thanks goodness, it’s fiction. The chaotic school is facing closure by the governors due to poor attendance and bad publicity. The headmaster has a nervous breakdown and resigns, deputy head Jack Rimmer (actor Jason Merrells) is thrown into maelstrom as boss and
comes to the novel conclusion that the answer to his problems can be found in the pub
Turning very base metal into gold becomes his fundamental challenge to turn the school around.

Waterloo Road producer Spencer Campbell has come a long way during his 25 years in show business. Before moving into broadcasting he was a Manchester town planner and a writer for the less-than-glamorous Municipal Journal. His career has brought him notable credits worldwide including Joanna Lees’ true story of the Australian outback murder and Granada TV's award-winning Cold Feet.

He said: ‘I like working in Lancashire because I think the crews and the skills up here are superb, the locations are fantastic and it's less expensive than shooting in London. You can film in two or three places in the same day which you can’t do in London. Manchester's a
vibrant city where we get enormous co-operation from everyone and the people here are very proud of the fact they have a thriving TV and film industry.’