Cllr. Eleanor Chaudry was an English teacher at Waterloo Road during Series 7. She was portrayed by actress Poppy Jhakra.
Personality
Eleanor arrives at Waterloo Road with fantastic references and an exemplary record from her probationary years. She won the title of 'Young Conservative Candidate' for two years running. She’s ultra-professional, faux posh and has a very ‘stuff and nonsense’ approach to the children. She hates touchy-feely teaching and almost nurtures an ‘us and them’ approach. Eleanor makes it clear from the off – she wants to be a head teacher as soon as the system (which she abhors) allows. Karen’s very proud of herself to have ‘bagged’ her.
However, despite Eleanor’s professional distancing from the children, she’s the kind of teacher of whom parents will say ‘Thank God she’s at our kids’ school.’ She’s got a huge self-belief that she can change things. Her mother’s told her she can achieve anything. Her major problem is - she takes on too much and struggles to keep all her plates spinning. Eleanor is very involved in local politics. She’s passionate about her ward and its people in the same way she’s passionate about education.
Eleanor has the skin of a rhino and her total lack of self-awareness often causes her to rub people up the wrong way. Eleanor doesn’t hold back on her opinions – which get right up Grantly’s and Tom’s noses. Eleanor’s biggest flaw is her unquenchable ambition. She’s blinded by her Machiavellian need to get ahead and will trample over people if they happen to stand in her way, including Karen Fisher.
As Series 7 progresses, Eleanor begins to grow a conscience and the foundation of Waterloo Road grows on her, she also acknowlodges in Episode 9 that before arriving at Waterloo Road, she thought school was all about exam results, but as her character develops, she begins to realize that it is also about keeping youths out of harm's way. According to the offical Waterloo Road website, Eleanor is 25, which would place her date of birth somewhere in 1985 or 1986.
Series 7
Episode 1
Eleanor Chaudry arrives at Waterloo Road, eager to impress the students and her fellow staff members. Eleanor applies strict rules to her students and sends Year 12 pupil Sambuca Kelly to the cooler to complete an essay when she tells Eleanor to "shut up". When Sam returns the essay to Eleanor, she points out to fellow English teacher Tom Clarkson that Sam's effort is 'barely English, let alone A-level", Eleanor sees Sam as unruly behaviour, but Tom insists that Sam is just having a personality clash.
Episode 2
During career's day, Eleanor organizes a mock interview for the sixth form students. She is only seen performing this segment with Year 12 pupil's Kyle Stack and Martin Dunbar.
Episode 3
Eleanor organizes a controlled assessment for her Year 12 English students, which combines their English assessment with media arts
Eleanor as she appears in Episode 3
studies, she manages to get fellow English teachers Tom Clarkson and Grantly Budgen to be her 'helper boys', she sends Kyle Stack to the cooler to write an essay when he attempts to steal one of the digital cameras. During second period, an image of pupil Amy Porter from a party appear on screen when really some of the pupil's coursework should've appeared. When Lauren Andrews discovers that Stuart Foley was the one responsible for the gag, she sends him to Eleanor, where Stuart claims that he fancies Amy and was doing it to get her attention, she then sends Stuart to the cooler as well. Eleanor and headmaster Karen Fisher have a talk with Stuart's father, who is offended by Eleanor's choice of language. Eleanor tries to convince Stuart to stand up for himself, this effort backfires when Stuart gives away private information about Amy and himself in front of the class for his media arts studies and english assignment. Eleanor insists to Tom that she was certain she was doing what was right for Stuart, she is proven wrong and is told off by Karen later on in the day. When mathematics teacher Daniel Chalk tries out a new trend to try and get his students to like him, Eleanor tells him that he looks ridiculous, which convinces him to return to his previous style. After school, at the pub, Eleanor tells Chris that she is unclear as to whether Karen is actually trying to help her or if she's jealous that a new and younger teacher is now operating at the school.
Episode 4
Karen sits in on one of Eleanor's lessons to assess her teaching and pastrol care skills; Karen explains to Eleanor in her office after the lesson that she shouldn't have made a spectacle of new Year 12 pupil Evie Prior. In the teacher's lounge, Eleanor furiously states to Daniel that Karen 'had no idea what she was talking about'. When it is revealed that Evie Prior is actually Alicia Cross, a girl that murdered her five-year-old cousin, several parents report into the school, complaining about the dilemma, during the meeting, Eleanor tries to be clever and humilate Karen in front of the parents. Eleanor becomes aware of Karen's possible involvement in site manager Rob Scotcher and tries to point out how unprofessional it was. When Karen puts Rob in one of Eleanor's English lessons for some work experience as a teaching assistant, she tries to make him feel small, which Karen later points out to Eleanor at the end of the school day, Eleanor reacts by rolling her eyes, sighing and walking out of Karen's office.
Episode 5
When Director of Education Richard Whitman pays a visit to the school, he instantly recognizes Eleanor and points out to Karen how 'lucky she is' to have Eleanor at her school. After Richard has finished visiting Waterloo Road, he has a conversation with his old friend, Eleanor Chaudry, where she convinces him that there is something terribly wrong with the school and that Karen Fisher is not well-suited for her occupation. He then gives Eleanor a mission to be an undercover spy to provide him with information that could help him to have Karen sacked. Eleanor provides Richard with more and more information on the school's condition over the next few episodes.
Episode 8
A mock election is held at the school where Eleanor is running the Conservative campaign with Jess against the Labour campaign run by Tom and Vicki. The election results in a tie, which Eleanor disagrees with at first by demanding a recount, showing explicit signs of her competitiveness, Eleanor then reluctantly shares the winning title with the fellow debating team, by agreeing to a coalition. Eleanor expresses dislike for new Year 10 pupil Jodi "Scout" Allen by almost laughing at how Chris was convinced that Scout had drugs for her mother who is suffering from MS, it is later proven that Eleanor's hypothesis was true. Eleanor reports drugs being found in the school to Richard, which results in Chris taking the blame instead of Scout by taking the drugs from Scout and placing them in his jacket pocket; Eleanor shows signs of remorse when Chris is suspended from his duty as deputy head and is arrested and interrogated by the police for three hours. It is also revealed that Eleanor just wanted to get Karen Fisher fired while Richard wanted to do that as well while also wanting to shut down Waterloo Road, once the school day is over, Eleanor decides that she no longer wants to be part of Richard's scheme once Tom exclaims how important the school is to him and how important it is to all of the pupils at the school as well.
After
Tom and Eleanor kissing in Series 7, Episode 8
school, Tom, Daniel, Janeece, Grantly, Chris and herself go to the pub to get a drink like they generally do; eventually Janeece, Grantly and Chris leave, leaving Daniel singing while Tom and Eleanor continue to drink far too much beer, at first, they sing a duet together at the pub rather drunkly, but eventually they settle down at a table and exchange stories, soon enough, Eleanor kisses Tom, which Tom responds by kissing her back, the two then begin to make out. An estimated hour later, Eleanor and Tom return to Tom's house where Tom offers Eleanor the choice of drinking "beer or beer", Eleanor replies by saying that she "doesn't want a drink" and wraps her arms around Tom as she kisses him, the two procede to have sex.
Episode 9
Eleanor quits working for Richard, who then takes his vengeance when he confronts Karen and implies that Eleanor has been a spy on the inside that has been supplying him with information to help him shut the school down. Eleanor convinces Tom to try and forget about the previous night, which fellow English teacher Grantly Budgen just manages to overhear. During the community gardening project with the Year 10s, Eleanor becomes irritated by community gardenist Keeley James as she consistently flirts with Tom throughout the project, but she eventually chooses to give up. Eleanor takes her anger out on the pupils, which eventually causes Daniel to lose his temper with her and shouts at her that she is "a bully", which Eleanor agrees with, she then expresses to Tom how she wants to change her personality as she wants to fit in at Waterloo Road, which she is struggling to do. With plenty of help, she is able to elevate the mess of the project to an acceptable standard. When the group arrives back at the school, Karen reveals that she is aware of Eleanor's betrayal and she acknowledges this in front of the other members of staff, who are then disgusted by her actions, including Tom. Eleanor reveals to Karen afterwards that she thought she "was doing the right thing" and that she never intended on anyone "losing their jobs" or getting sacked, Eleanor offers her resignation, but Karen refuses to allow her to leave. Karen asks that to show that she genuinely is sorry for her actions, she return to the school tomorrow morning and face her colleagues and continue her job. Karen later confronts Richard about how he manipulated Eleanor to do his "dirty work".
Episode 10
Showing her allegiance to Waterloo Road, Eleanor stands alongside Karen during the protest.
Eleanor arrives for what becomes her final day at Waterloo Road. Tom ignores her when she tries to explain herself in the car park as she continues to regret her actions. Later, following the school inspector’s decision to suspend Karen, Eleanor and Jess organise a protest for the entire school. She appears at the forefront of the protest and stands alongside Karen, showing her allegiance to Waterloo Road School. As the protest ends, Kyle chucks an egg at Richard Whitman; Eleanor attracts Kyle's attention, and directly applauds him. At the pub after school, Eleanor has her last drink with her colleagues who have forgiven her and were glad she helped Jess with the protest.