In response to the boys' poor exam grades, Karen and Chris introduce a new single-sex teaching initiative, much to the disdain of staff and pupils. Especially unimpressed is the formidable new Head of Pastoral Care, Adanna Lawal, who rallies the rest of the staffroom into action against the segregation.

However, the scheme gets off to a bad start as the boys' lessons quickly descend into chaos, a situation that is made even worse by the arrival of disruptive new student Kyle Stack, who wreaks havoc from the moment he steps in the door.

Elsewhere, Bex Fisher's first day back at Waterloo Road gets off to a rocky start when she is beset with anxiety following an unexpected phone call - leading Jess to suspect that her sister is hiding something.

Finally arriving at school, Bex becomes embroiled in an allegation of sexual assault involving Kyle, leaving Karen and her staff in a muddled attempt to unravel the truth before Kyle exacts a vicious revenge.

Looking forward to seeing WR again, it's been too long

I know

As the BBC have been reminding us...

Winner of The National Television Awards Best Drama Award: Waterloo Road

Returns tonight! Hooray!

I miss Eva Pope and Denise Welch!

But I still love it!!!

Woo can't wait!

Can't wait WR is my favourite show, Grantly and Steph are brilliant. Is Steph going to appear again does anyone know? When she woke up next to Jo that was priceless!

Great... just what we need. George Sampson bodypoppin' down the corridors pretending he's Finn Sharkey and Sara-Louise Platt pretending she's Tina O'Brien playing Bex Fisher

8 minutes

Aww..can't wait!!!

Is Janeece still in it?

Hodge. Bex's past.

They're not human beings. Not til they're about 23 anyway

Great to see Waterloo Road back on our screens again, Im guessing Nate is Josh's love interest.

I do miss Steph though, Denise Welsch needs to return but with DOI she'll be hoping she gets some new offers of TV work

Pastoral care lady was in Tracy Beaker, yeah.

Quite impressed with the new pastoral care head, she will fit in well.

Shouldn't this be in the tv section instead of the soap section?

It's a continuing drama though so counts as a soap. Loving Adranna Lawal, loved her in Tracey Beaker as Jenny and loving her now.

That's who it was!!

Glad it's back. Really enjoyed tonight's episode.

I just hope they don't split Series 7 up...

How old is Bex supposed to be? Tina O'Brian is 26 isn't she?

Wouldn't college have been more apt for her? I didn't even think anyone over 18 could enrol at school.

Loved Waterloo Road tonight!! Jonah has a crush on the spanish teacher! ooooffft he's hot so is Mr Mead can't wait to find out more about Bex's character

i know i was like 'i thought i recognised her somewhere'

I loved tonight's return, I honestly thought George Sampson acted everyone else off the screen, for someone who's known for something else I thought he was amazing for a boy his age.

Tom great as usual (acting ability alone obviously ) and it was nice to see a different side of Jess than the stroppy teen, a role which has been given to Bex...I know it's meant to be mystery and suspense and I normally love Tina O'Brien as an actress but I just don't get Bex, she doesn't do anything at all for me and I hate the way her and Karen interact. Amanda Burton is great, I just think she's better without Bex. The whole mystery thing of who's stalking Bex doesn't work because we don't know Bex, she's only been in one full episode and her past is really irrelevant I know not everyone will agree with this and I'm not slating the actress, I just don't like the characterisation.

Think Charlie should return, he's great. Not sure what to make of the new guidance teacher, she's a bit holier than thou and it's all a bit Kim Campbell (early doors, in series 1 and 2 when she was constantly on the moral highground).Preferred Tom in guidance but she's shaping up to be an interesting character so I'll reserve judgement.

Great to see Finn have someone to bounce off, I love him as a character but the whole scrap scene with him and Kyle and Tom running in while Cesca stood there was a bit reminiscent of Lindsay and Michaela last series while Hopewell stood there.

Liked the scene with Kyle and the dog, although I was shocked when I read the spoilers on Cesca and Jonah which is clearly going to happen by the looks of things, never warmed to Cesca as a character and I don't think she's proved herself as a teacher at all so we don't have that conflict, she isn't a well established enough teacher to pull off that storyline I don't think.

Brilliant episode though, overall more Grantley and Tom needed and less Bex :yawn: I do like Ruby and Janeece's relationship though, and it's always nice to see Denzil, I think he's a cracking little character.

Disappointed in Josh's love interest, he's not attractive at all

Jess is 16 so I'm guessing 17/18, although five by the way Karen treats her although she was in Jess's class so maybe been put back a year ilke Janeece was.