Just as she was turning her life around...
Despite this being about a school full of dysfunctional children, there are many moments that left us crying.- Maxine's Death. Full stop. In the same episode, she realised that her boyfriend Earl was the monster everyone said he was, and broke up with him. Unfortunately, this is Earl we are talking about, the same one who got his little brother locked up for carrying a fire arm in school. Earl then goes to her house and shoots Maxine, who stands her ground. So unfortunate.
- Tom Clarkson has, pretty much, suffered in almost every season.
- In Series 1, he finds out that his wife, Lorna Dickey, is pregnant. Although he doesn't want anything to do with the baby, he later changes his mind. Although, unbeknownst to him, Lorna had an abortion and claimed it was a miscarriage. Tom then breaks down in tears, blaming himself. You can imagine how he reacted when he found out it wasn't a miscarriage.
- Although, that's not to say that Lorna herself didnt suffer as Tom was also shown to be in a love triangle between her and Izzie Redpath. He picked Izzie over her, which then she tried to attempt suicide at the end of the season but was saved.
- In Series 2, Tom almost gets into trouble when Stacey Appleyard, a pupil who has a crush on Tom, claims to have slept with him, although she later says this didnt happen. However, that wasn't enough for Izzie, who breaks up with Tom and kicks him out. The 2 are then constantly shown to get into arguments before Lorna, whom has been recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, is able to repair their relationship before taking her own life. Tom then later propeses to Izzie, who accepts, but unfortunately, Izzie would be killed off at the end of the season, having accidentally been stabbed by Jed Seddon in an attempt to save Jack Rimmer.
- In Series 3, Tom is distraught over Izzie's death and constantly blames Jack for not saving her (although they later make up in Episode 6).Hhe also has to deal with one of Izzie's daughters, Chlo, getting married to her boyfriend, Donte, but soon approves of this relationship. In the season finale, however, the school is set on fire and Davina, whom Tom started a relationship with in Episode 19, has to be taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation.
- Series 4 was a bit more tamer than the previous seasons, it shows him dealing with the newly arrived Kelly family, Earl in particular. He and Earl would constantly get into feuds which, at one point, would make Tom lash out and almost hit him. Although, when Earl got arrested for Maxines murder, this died down. However, when he is helping Rose Kelly with her Alcoholism, Davina thinks the two are having an affair and leaves, leaving Tom distraught. He is also dealing with Chlo's pregnancy, to which Chlo wants to put the baby up for adoption which Tom is in two minds about. However, she then later decides to keep her and Donte's baby.
- In Series 5, he is shocked to learn that he has a son, Josh Stevenson, who is also a pupil at Waterloo Road. It doesn't help that Josh constantly blames Tom for leaving him and his mum, until Josh learns the truth.
- Series 6 wasn't kind to Tom, like at all; He first struggles to accept his sons homosexuality but does seem to accept it later on in the future. However, once he comes across Josh's boyfriends father, Matthew Gurney, the two have a feud as Matthew doesn't want his son dating "freaks" (yes, he is homophobic). Although, while it does seem that the two ardent mad at each other anymore, when they meet at a pub and Tom suggests opening up a foundation in Aaron's name, his other son who died serving in Afghanistan, Matthew beats Tom up black and blue. Tom got the worst of it as well: later on, he is shown unable to cope due to him getting PTSD, and at one point, he almost attacks Kyle Stack before stopped by Karen Fisher. He is able to overcome it, however.
- Series 7 was also unfortunate; He is shown supporting the Kelly family after Sambuca Kelly gets diagnosed with brain cancer, whom later dies in Episode 6. Later on in the series, his son, Josh, gets schizophrenia and has an episode during his exams. Tom thinks he has not been a supportive and better father to Josh, but Nikki Boston says that he is a good father. In the season finale, he almost watched his son get killed by Kyle Stack, who was planning on killing Finn but Josh pushed Finn out the way at the last second. Fortunately, Josh survives as the arrow only hit his arm but near the end of the episode, when they are taking a picture outside the border of Scotland with other Pupils and teachers, a oncoming truck hits them, killing Denzil Kelly and paralyzing Tariq Siddiqui.
- In Series 8, Tom is shown to struggle to cope with Denzils death, even blaming himself, claiming that the only reason Denzil went with them was because of Tom but Sian Diamond assures him that that wasn't the case. Near the end of season, Grantly Budgen has chronic kidney failure and, not wanting to see his close friend die after many years of working together, Tom offers to be a kidney donor for Grantly. Unfortunately, the operation never happens, as in the season finale, Tom falls off the school roof and dies after saving Kyle Stack from suicide.
- In Series 1, he finds out that his wife, Lorna Dickey, is pregnant. Although he doesn't want anything to do with the baby, he later changes his mind. Although, unbeknownst to him, Lorna had an abortion and claimed it was a miscarriage. Tom then breaks down in tears, blaming himself. You can imagine how he reacted when he found out it wasn't a miscarriage.
