It's the first day at the brand new academy school, and best friends Missy and Nas are now attending the same school for the very first time.
Jordan finds himself in charge of a baby that he has to sneak into school, and he blackmails PE teacher Steve into helping him out.
Missy convinces Nas to make a play for her teacher, but Nas is served a curveball when her dad announces that he has other plans for her.
Missy makes a traumatic discovery about Nana Booth. Fearing that social services will take Haley into care, she keeps everything secret until she has to ask Emma for money.
Kaneez is furious to discover that Nas is considering the arranged marriage. But the pressure of it all leads Nas to break down to her mum and confess that she is gay.
Mandy's professional and personal life collide when Alya outs her and Sadiq's affair. Steve comes to the rescue, but will it be enough to save them?
Nas agrees to a sham engagement with Naveed, but emotions run high when she discovers a family secret.
Jordan offers to help with baby Jamie's christening, Cory lashes out during rugby practice, and Missy finds herself at the mercy of a loan shark.
Kaneez is still reeling from the revelation of Iqbal's secret family, and Missy is desperate for her loved ones to come to terms with her boyfriend.
Sami is riddled with guilt over his affair, so when he discovers that Jordan is working for Khadim, he seeks redemption by getting him off the streets and into boxing.
Desperate to find a girlfriend, Nas downloads a dating app. Steve invites a rugby scout to watch Cory play, but tensions escalate as the pressure becomes too much.
Missy is totally freaked out when Aaron confesses his love for her, while Hayley is humiliated by a message stream that circulates around the school about her sexual relationship with Riz.
Nas finally meets a girl who knocks her socks off, but their families and backgrounds put them completely at odds, and Missy and Hayley are heartbroken when Simone relapses.
Mandy's abusive dad, who now has dementia, turns up at the school. She returns to the estate where she grew up to find that her mum can't cope with the situation.
Cory is humiliated when he has to visit a food bank. Nas gets caught in the crossfire between Sam and Razia. Javid hatches a plan to take over the school.
Desperate to make it as a stand-up comic, Naveed's plans are derailed when his Mum discovers his arranged marriage to Nas was a cover, and that he's gay.
With the GCSE exams looming, Missy loses her bottle and quits school in favour of starting a family with Aaron. Emma recruits Will in her plan to sabotage Chloe's relationship.
Jordan fears he hasn't done enough revision to get into the college that he wants to go to, and Mandy is offered a lifeline that forces her to question her loyalty to Sadiq.
When Nas gets an interview for a place at Oxford uni, she and best mate Missy realise their lives are rapidly heading in different directions.
Kaneez and Simone anxiously wait for news about Nas and Missy. Sam recruits her cousin to seek revenge, and as the reaction rapidly escalates, behaviour spirals out of control.
Kaneez is stunned when Rashid proposes. Mandy is keen to unite the two communities, but her article for a far-right newspaper backfires and things get violent.
Sam and Nas are caught shoplifting, which causes a rift between them, but Sam's mum pushes her to get more involved with the Murgatroyds' criminal activities.
Cory is kicked out after being caught with his dad's girlfriend. Hoping for sympathy, Cory is stunned when Naveed is appalled. Mandy gives birth and feels overwhelmed.
Rukhsana gets revenge on her controlling brother but is left to fend for herself when he walks out and the debt collectors come knocking.
Mandy's visit to school doesn't go well when she discovers a rumour going around that Cory is the father of her baby, and Nas is horrified when Chloe outs her at a school fundraiser.
It's the end of an era at Ackley Bridge College as Nas struggles under the pressure of A-Level exams. Mandy and Martin force Sue to help Cory get his life back on track.
New boy Johnny ruffles feathers throughout the school. Martin experiences a baptism of fire as acting head teacher.
The Romany Gypsies are wrongly blamed for robbing the school and an offended Johnny walks out. Kayla inadvertently enters into a pact.
Fizza goes off the rails when her mother protests against sex education at the school. Kayla and Johnny get closer.
Tahir's tall stories catch up with him when his plan to help Sam backfires. Kayla keeps a secret from Fizza. Martin learns that Johnny has a talent.
Sparks fly between Fizza and Kayla when the truth comes out about the deleted text. Tahir grabs an opportunity at the talent show. Zainab reveals her true agenda to Kaneez.
Kayla's world implodes when she hears where Fizza was on Friday. Johnny tries to cheer Kayla up on the school trip, but he gets some news of his own.
Johnny takes part in a boxing match to pay off a debt, while Martin tries to persuade him not to leave school. And can Kayla work out where she stands?
Fizza learns the shocking truth about her mum's attack. Martin enlists the help of 'Jane' from the dating app to stop the sale of the school field.
Tahir's world is turned upside down. Fizza and Kayla confront Johnny, but the backlash causes a rift between the girls, and Johnny is torn.
It's the day before the wedding. Jules worries about Kayla, while Fizza tries to make amends, and Johnny's determined to do the right thing.
Marina pulls a stunt at school that causes outrage among the parents and puts Martin firmly under Ken's boot. New teacher Asma makes an impression.
Kayla and Johnny plan to get intimate, but her inexperience sends Kayla into a panic. Kaneez leads the Year 11 sex ed class, while Asma is unwillingly teamed up with Hassan.
Johnny spirals down a dangerous path, and Martin risks all to get him out of trouble. Marina's brother Kyle lands at school, causing chaos for Kaneez.
Pressure mounts as Fizza struggles to balance school with her dad's deteriorating mental health. There are worrying times for Marina. Asma and Hassan have a tense exchange.
Kaneez is caught up in a puppy heist while trying to manage tearaway Kyle and study for her GCSEs. Unable to cope with Asif on her own, Fizza seeks Asma's help but makes a shock discovery.
Asma appeals to Fizza, desperate to keep her alcoholism a secret, but her problems only get worse when her dad turns up... Marina intervenes in Fizza and Chloe's blossoming romance.
At the girls' rugby tournament, Marina catches a boy's eye, but things take a disturbing turn at the afterparty. Asma and Hassan go on their first date.
With Fizza, Hayley and Chloe's support, Marina comes to terms with what happened to her at the party. Everything comes to a head when St Marks return to Ackley for the boys' rugby match.
It's exam day. Fizza drops everything following a distressing call from Asif, Kyle steals an exam paper for Kaneez, and Asma finally realises that she needs professional help.
It's the day of the leavers ball. Johnny has a crisis of confidence, Fizza struggles to cope, and Martin's head is on the block at the school governors' meeting.
