The ABC follows two comprehensive schools in Yorkshire, largely divided by white and Asian populations, that are merged into a new academy, Ackley Bridge College.

The drama series will explore the turbulent school experience, covering the challenges of prejudice and cultural issues in the school environment, as well as the humour, relationships and conflict had by the pupils, teachers and parents. 

The new term gets off to a bumpy start for both the pupils and teachers of Ackley Bridge College and lessons will be learnt in and out of the classroom as the lives and cultures of each school are forged together.

Jo Joyner (Eastenders, No Angels) stars as new head teacher Mandy Carter, who has to face the challenges of her new role whilst trying to maintain her marriage to P.E teacher Steve Bell, played by Paul Nicholls (The C Word, Eastenders).

Liz White (Our Zoo) stars as teacher Emma Keane, who's first day is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of her troubled daughter Chloe (Fern Deacon), who normally lives with her father, and the discovery that her ex-boyfriend, and ex-offender, Sami (Arsher Ali - The Missing, Four Lions) is also a teacher at the academy.

As new cliques form amongst pupils, Nasreen (Amy Leigh Hickman) is faced with the possibility of losing her best friend Missy (Poppy Lee Friar) to new friendships, and troublesome pupil Jordan (Sam Bottomley) uses the first school assembly to pull a misjudged stunt that lands him, and a member of staff, in more trouble than he expected. 

On the other side of the school lines, there is dinner lady Kaneez Paracha (Sunetra Sarker – Casualty, Emmerdale), single mum to Razia (Nazmeen Kausar Hussain) and Saleem (Esa Ashraf), and fellow parent and successful businessman Sadiq Nawaz (Adil Ray – Citizen Khan), the academy’s sponsor who seems to be more invested in the success of the school than his kids education.

Filming for the six part series began earlier this month on location in Yorkshire and will be broadcast later this year.