The Headteacher is the leader of the Senior Management Team at Waterloo Road. They are responsible for all aspects of the school, and are expected to have a good sense of leadership. It is their responsibility to manage the staff and pupils whilst being the most senior teacher in school.
Where the Headteacher is not present on site, the Deputy Headteacher deputises for the Headteacher in their absence. This is seen throughout the series, with some teachers taking on the role of Acting Headteacher where absence was planned or unforeseen (for example, due to the previous headteacher being suspended or on sick leave).
List of known Headteachers[]
Brian Vaisey [Series 1 Episode 1 - Series 1 Episode 1]
He resigned in the first episode with immediate effect after he had a nervous breakdown and started throwing his belongings off of the school roof. It is mentioned that he had been the head for a long time.
Jack Rimmer [Series 1 Episode 1 - Series 3 Episode 6]
Deputy Head Jack assumed the role of acting head after Mr. Vaisey's departure, later getting appointed as the headteacher proper. Due to a financial misconduct on Jack's part, he was suspended by the Schools Governing Body, but decided to fully resign with immediate effect instead. Eddie Lawson took over his duties in the meantime.
Rachel Mason [Series 3 Episode 7 - Series 5 Episode 20]
Whilst she was initially appointed by the LEA as an Associate Headteacher, Rachel soon decided to remain at the school permanently, in the role as Headteacher. Rachel had a different approach in comparison to Jack. She turned Waterloo Road around completely because of her ethos. After starting a relationship with Adam Fleet, she later married him and left Waterloo Road with him. She also holds the record of being the longest serving head in the show's original run
Max Tyler [Executive Head] [Series 5 Episode 1 - Series 5 Episode 10]
He became the Executive Headteacher of Waterloo Road after the merger with his public school, John Fosters. He was also Executive Head of three other schools in the area. He immediately clashed with Rachel due to his radical opinions and views on how the school should be run, but soon began a relationship with Kim. Later in the series he physically abused Rachel's nephew, Philip Ryan, leading to Max being fired. Rachel gained full control of the school again and the "Executive Head" post was abolished shortly afterwards.
Karen Fisher [Series 6 Episode 1 - Series 7 Episode 10]
Arrived at Waterloo Road with her husband, Charlie Fisher and two of their children, Jess Fisher and Harry Fisher. They have another child, Bex Fisher, who was introduced later in the series. She was forced to leave the school due to poor management of it. Despite this, she had lots of support from staff and students.
Michael Byrne [Series 7 Episode 11 - Series 8 Episode 28]
Michael was hired as Karen's replacement and immediately began making some big changes to the school. He brought back former music teacher Matt Wilding to spearhead a new drive on music and drama. With Christopher Mead departing, he also brought Sian Diamond on board as the new science teacher and deputy head, and by extension brought in her newlywed husband Jez as the new Head of PE, also hiring long-standing English teacher Tom Clarkson as a deputy head alongside Sian, and later Nikki Boston as well after Sian left. Michael fought hard for the school, even having to run the school under pressure from Alan Dixon and the LEA along with the local gangs including the Dale Sken Crew and later on, the Murray Set Boyz.
In the third part of Series 7, Michael discovered that the school was being closed, and at the end of Series 7, with the help of Lorraine Donnegan, he moved Waterloo Road and a select few students and teachers to Greenock, and the school became independent from the Local Authority. Eventually however, Lorraine wanted to take the school private, and when Michael discovered this, he resigned. Following a staff walkout, Lorraine offered Michael his job back, which he accepted.
In Series 8 Episode 28, Michael completed his plan to hand the school over to the Local Authority, which led to both him and Lorraine leaving the school. On his last day, he also recommended Christine Mulgrew as his successor and did this on the same day he ended their romance.
Christine Mulgrew [Series 8 Episode 29 to Series 9 Episode 19]
She arrived at Waterloo Road with her son, Connor Mulgrew. She was originally an English teacher, who Michael strongly believed in, therefore suggesting she was a suitable candidate for the Headteacher position. In Series 9, Christine drove in to school under the influence of alcohol; the stress of being headteacher caused her to hit the bottle hard and so she resigned from the headteacher role, staying at the school in the English department once she had gotten her alcoholism under control.
Vaughan Fitzgerald [Series 10 Episode 1 - Series 10 Episode 20]
He arrived with his partner Allie Westbrook and her two children Floyd and Tiffany. Vaughan was later joined by his two sons Justin and Leo after his ex-wife Olga had a breakdown. In Episode 10, Allie and Vaughan decided to split after Justin punched Allie on the last day of term, but Allie did not press charges. Vaughan also spearheaded a campaign to prevent Waterloo Road's merger with Havelock High, which succeeded. He is also the final headteacher to be seen in the original run of the programme.
Kim Campbell [Series 11 Episode 1 - Series 13 Episode 8]
Kim Campbell is the Headteacher of the newly-formed Waterloo Road High School (previously named William Beswick High School)
Steve Savage [Series 14 Episode 1 - Present ]
Steve took over from Miss Campbell after the school became an academy.
Deputy Headteachers
- Jack Rimmer (Series 1 Episode 1)
- Andrew Treneman (Series 1 Episode 1 - Series 2 Episode 12)
- Eddie Lawson (Series 3 Episode 1 - Series 4 Episode 20)
- Chris Mead (Series 5 Episode 1 - Series 7 Episode 10)
- Sian Diamond (Series 7 Episode 11 - Series 8 Episode 19)
- Tom Clarkson (Series 7 Episode 11 - Series 8 Episode 30)
- Nikki Boston (Series 8 Episode 21 - Series 8 Episode 29)
- George Windsor (Series 9 Episode 3 - Series 9 Episode 18)
- Simon Lowsley (Series 8 Episode 29 - Series 10 Episode 9)
- Christine Mulgrew (Acting) (Series 10 Episode 10)
- Lorna Hutchinson (Series 10 Episode 11 - Series 10 Episode 20)
- Lindon King (Series 11 Episode 1 - Series 13 Episode 8)
- Joe Casey (Series 11 Episode 1 - present)
Acting Headteachers[]
- Andrew Treneman (Series 2 Episode 2)
- Eddie Lawson (Series 3 Episode 6 - Series 3 Episode 7)
- Sian Diamond (Series 7 Episode 21)
- Nikki Boston (Series 8 Episode 27)
- George Windsor (Series 9 Episode 17)
- Simon Lowsley (Series 9 Episode 19 - Series 9 Episode 20)