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Rachel Mason (Head Teacher) played by Eva Pope

Head Teacher Rachel has never been afraid to take risks to deliver quality education to the poorest sectors of society – and she has a passion for transforming the lives of working class kids. However, scarred physically and mentally from the fire at the end of the last term, and having faced a co-ordinated campaign from parents and the Governing Body to oust her following the revelations about her past, Rachel's had to battle – once again – to prove her worth. Rachel likes to keep her private life private but she was starting to let her guard down with Deputy Head Eddie Lawson. However, she rejects him – no-one's going to be getting close to her scars, whether external or internal anytime soon.

Eddie Lawson (Mathematics, Deputy Head) played by Neil Morrissey

Eddie Lawson (early 40s) is charismatic and an inspirational teacher with a genuine passion for the job. Eddie has a natural authority and the pupils know not to cross him, but underneath he's warm and self-deprecating. He has a down-to-earth approach to teaching but he's also not afraid of change. He's also a strong believer in inclusion, which Waterloo Road is keen to embrace, and an expert on vocational education – believing it can really deliver the goods. Eddie's own experience at school has given him a natural empathy with the "difficult kids" and he can handle himself in the classroom. Eddie still nurtures high hopes for a relationship with Rachel. That is until his head is turned by a new member of staff – Rachel's sister Melissa.

Tom Clarkson (English/Head of Pastoral Care) played by Jason Done

Tom's a laid back popular teacher but the new term sees Tom's good nature and patience pushed to their limits with arrival of the Kelly family "from Hell". Not only does Tom have to see them in school each day but the family are also Tom's new next-door neighbours. Tom shares his home with his partner and colleague, Davina Shackleton. He also plays single dad to Chlo, the daughter of his previous partner, Izzie Redpath, who was murdered on the school grounds two years previously. The Kellys make his life more and more unbearable, leaving him questioning his position as Head of Pastoral Care and his ability to refrain from assaulting the worst member of the Kelly crew.

Steph Haydock (French teacher) played by Denise Welch

Steph is in her 40s and a hopeless teacher. She regularly finds herself way out of her depth both in school and at home. She's having problems with "foster" daughter Maxine, who embarks on a relationship with bad boy Earl Kelly. Steph isn't in a position to lecture her on lessons in love and suitable men, but she may be about to find true love in an unexpected form. She is going to need all the support she can get when she's proved right when Maxine and Earl's relationship ends in tragedy.

Grantly Budgen (Head of English) played by Philip Martin Brown

The head of English and nearing retirement age, Grantly has had many years to perfect his cynical disenchantment with the teaching profession. Grantly wants life on easy street and is distinctly not impressed with Waterloo Road's innovative policies. He is not much in favour with the teachers in his English Department either, having single-handedly almost managed to get them all suspended the previous term. He's found that he's having a mid-life crisis believing his wife to be having an affair, and addresses smartening himself up to win her back in a most unflattering manner. However, despite his best efforts, Grantly soon finds himself without both a wife and a roof over his head.

Davina Shackleton (Teaching Assistant) played by Christine Tremarco

Davina began her career at Waterloo Road as former Head Teacher Jack Rimmer's PA, and later lover, but when Jack left Waterloo Road and moved to Dubai, Davina threw herself into a teaching assistant role, taking special interest in Asperger's pupil Karla Bentham. Encouraged by Rachel and Tom Clarkson, she has now embarked on a course to become a fully fledged teacher. It wasn't long before she could no longer deny a growing attraction to Tom, and the feeling was mutual. Used to being a man's top priority, playing second fiddle to Mika and Chlo took some getting used to, especially when they all began to live under the same roof – but the course of true love never runs smooth.

Matt Wilding (Music and Drama) played by Chris Geere

A talented musician, boyishly good-looking Matt is keen to impress and will work round the clock at things that really interest him, such as the first musical production at Waterloo Road last year, but he'll do anything to avoid the boring chores of teaching. He's gay and was with a boyfriend for three years, but the fact that Matt was unwilling to live openly as a gay man was a source of constant rows between them and meant the relationship was doomed to failure. Now Matt finds himself newly single and is burying his grief in a partying lifestyle. However, the party has to end when he finds himself foster parent to a troubled young girl and the target of hate for her brother and erstwhile father.

Jasmine Koreshi (English) played by Shabana Bakhsh

Attractive Jasmine (24) is bright, smiling and enthusiastic. Now in her second year, Jasmine returns with a new found self-assurance. She is a strong believer in doing things by the book – as she's been taught at college – and her obsession with dotting every "I" and crossing every "T" aggravates some of the more laid back members of staff. For her part, she is frustrated by their willingness to let standards slip and isn’t afraid of raising her concerns with Rachel – there's no way she's going to be tarred with their brush. Jasmine is good mates with Davina and are each other's confidantes. However, their friendship is severely tested this term as Jasmine becomes besotted with Rob, the new PE teacher, and Davina finds herself having to give Jasmine bad news about her new love.

Melissa Ryan (Head of Extended Services), new character, played by Katy Carmichael

Melissa is Rachel Mason's younger, sexier, bubblier sister. Melissa's heart is in the right place, but her endeavours have a tendency to goof up. She is a "Goldie Hawn-esque" kooky free spirit who has always sailed through life with an infectious joy and spark, but has never really stuck anything out for very long. The only serious relationship Melissa ever managed resulted in an unplanned pregnancy, but the marriage only lasted a couple of months. Classic sibling rivalry means that Rachel at once envies Melissa's care-free exuberance for life, whilst Melissa believes she craves the authority and commitment Rachel has managed.

Rob Cleaver (PE teacher), new character, played by Elyes Gabel

Rob Cleaver (26) is the new PE teacher at Waterloo Road – he's young and charming, but extremely driven and competitive. Once a successful professional athlete, Rob's hopes of representing Britain in the hurdles came to an abrupt end when he suffered an injury at the height of his career. He threw himself into his new profession with passion and vigour and quickly realised he had the ability to inspire and encourage kids, but still harbours a sense of resentment for his lost career. Jasmine finds Rob's forceful nature compelling and, with her enthusiasm for sport, they quickly realise they have a lot in common and they soon get together. When Rob discovers Bolton Smilie has an extra-ordinary talent for boxing, he knows he's found what he's been looking for, someone he can live his sporting career through again.

Rose Kelly (parent), new character, played by Elaine Symons

Rose (32) lived and breathed the mile radius around her council flat and, like most of the other girls around her, was pregnant by the age of 16 and again not a year later. Motherless and estranged from her boyfriend, Rose started to drink heavily and got herself a reputation for being easy. Both her daughter Sam and fourth child Denzil were products of one-night stands. When the council offers the family the chance to move to a bigger house in a different location, Rose sees it as an opportunity for a fresh start and agrees to re-locate. She loves her kids dearly and wants them to do well at Waterloo Road, but is rarely sober and abandons any attempt at discipline. However, Rose proves to be extremely clever, and Rachel knows she just needs to get through to this woman – if she can get Rose some qualifications of her own, she might just have the confidence to begin acting as a role model to her children.