A new academy school in a Yorkshire mill town merges the lives and cultures of the largely divided white and Asian community
It's the first day at the newly integrated school, and best friends and neighbours Missy and Nas are now attending the same school for the very first time. Nas's more conservative school friends take against Missy. Nas sides with her school friends and Missy, fuelled by anger, decides to play dangerous liaisons. Meanwhile English teacher Emma Keane gets a shock when she finds out that she'll be working with her ex-boyfriend Samir.
Jordan finds himself in charge of a baby that he has to sneak into school. It's harder to conceal than he anticipated, and he blackmails PE teacher Steve into helping him out. Unable to return it to its mother a stumped Steve ends up taking Jordan and the baby back to his house which causes further issues to his already strained marriage to Mandy, leading her to fall into the ready arms of her boss, Sadiq.
Missy convinces Nas to make a play for her teacher, Lila, but Nas is served a curveball when her dad announces that he has other plans for her. Confused and emotional, Nas appeals to Lila for help, but Lila draws a line under their friendship. Missy resolves to show her that there are plenty more fish in the sea, though Nas does not take to Missy's expedition to a gay bar and leaves alone early. Meanwhile, a guilt-stricken Mandy ends things with Sadiq and throws herself back into her marriage, and Emma discovers that Samir is engaged.
Missy suffers a traumatic discovery regarding Nana Booth, and fearing that social services will take Hayley into care, she keeps everything secret until forced to ask Emma for money. Meanwhile, Nas is left feeling heartbroken when her relationship with Lila starts to hit rocky ground, and Kaneez realises she has to alert Mandy about the Booth girls when she gets caught in a fight between Simone and Missy.
Kaneez is furious to discover that Nas is considering the arranged marriage, but Nas brings her round. However, the pressure of planning the wedding and her web of lies leads Nas to break down to her mum and confess that she is gay. Meanwhile, while focusing on helping Missy get Hayley back and straighten out Simone, Emma neglects Chloe on her birthday, sending Chloe off the rails while Steve battles with Mandy's indiscretion - do they have a future?
Mandy's professional life collides with her personal life when Alya outs her and Sadiq's affair at the school's first Open Day. As Mandy fights for her job, but chooses to put her pupils before her career, Steve comes to her rescue - but will it be enough to repair their relationship? Meanwhile, Candice reveals the true identity of Jamie's father, leading Jordan to spiral. Feeling neglected by Emma, Chloe gets caught up in Jordan's plans to leave Ackley Bridge, only for them to fall foul of the police.
