Something I have to ask. Is it unrealistic for a school to move to a different part of the UK with some of the staff and pupils to follow?

Yes that would never happen in real life.
I love Waterloo road but it lacks realism 100% LOL they might aswell have an alien invasion or even have a pupil from the Planet Jupiter.

After watching since the show launched, I haven't watched this series at all. The last few years have been messy to say the least, series being split into two, three parts, shown erratically wherever the BBC can fit it in over the course of the year, new sets of characters with each set of episodes, short-term stories with about as much depth as a jam jar, unexplained disappearances, one-note characters with short pre-determined lifespans, nothing solid or dependable (not even the school), Tom and Grantly barely feature and when they do each scene is a rehash of the last and the one before that, too many characters, too few long-term investments and the show is unrecognisable from the one that started in 2006.

It's just badly written teen fodder now, Shed should be ashamed they've sold their souls to make a second-rate Grange Hill for the kids.

One thing I'm confused about is why they appear to still be following the English education system (GCSEs, A levels, year 12 etc) when the Scottish system is completely different. It was mentioned in the show that the majority of pupils are from the local area and therefore would've been following the Scottish education system at their last schools.

it is unrealistic but didn't Grange Hill do the same thing by moving from london to liverpool.

Ye it's completely impossible for this to actually work. Seen a few of this series but it's terrible I saw a few of the first few series recently and it's a completely different show. Back then although it wasn't always 100% true to life you could see it maybe happening

Not really. I thought the move storyline was cleverly written and realistic.

Having watched this from the start the moving story is not realisc at all.

Technically, they didn't "move" the school at all. In the storyline, the school in Rochdale was closed by the LEA. As the new school is classed as independant, its actually an entirely new school that has adapted the Waterloo Road name. Yes some of the teachers have moved with it, as have some of the pupils, but with a school boarding house, its essentially no different to that of a boarding school scenario as far as the pupils who have moved with it are concerened, and there's plently of those around the UK.

I think the relocation has been handled very well indeed, and I personally am used to the new setting now. I see no difference in the drama that goes on within the school to what it was in Rochdale.

I actually think people who aren't watching it should give it a chance. It's been one of the best series I'd say in recent years, most likely since Eva Pope left. It's been really strong. Laurie Brett's story in particular is fantastic viewing. It's just quite sad seeing all the old faces slowly drifting away. Grantly's wedding last week was a good episode for fans of him.