The Teacher | Series 3 Preview (5)

Victoria Hamilton stars as Helen Simpson, a teacher with 30 years’ experience who dismisses the woke ideologies of the younger generation. Influential female student Cressida Bancroft dislikes Helen for accusing her of being a woke warrior to gain popularity.

After this clash of ideals, Cressida sets out to turning the world against Helen, before focussing her attention on Helen’s family, including her son Sam. As Helen delves deeper into Cressida’s past, she uncovers a world of sadness and neglect. But has she learnt enough about Cressida to stop her final act of revenge?

Cheetham Hall is an elite private boarding school. At the start of a new term, Helen Simpson, a flawed yet compassionate woman with over 30 years of teaching experience, takes on the role of Head of Drama.

She believes it’s her duty to prepare students for the realities of life, often disregarding trigger warnings and safe spaces. With little concern for the woke ideologies of the younger generation, she refuses to adapt her teaching methods to suit the needs of the student body. Sebastian Blake, a faculty member who interviewed for Helen’s role, wants to support the students and radicalise the curriculum by stepping away from Shakespeare.

Estranged from her husband, Terry, Helen currently lives on campus with her son Sam. Sam recently left his former school for personal reasons and has been enrolled at Cheetham Hall for the free opportunity to have a better education, thanks to his mother’s position. However, Sam is now a target for online bullying, something that has followed him from his former school.

Influential alpha female student Cressida Bancroft dislikes Helen for accusing her of attention-seeking and using her woke ideologies to gain likes. Despite Helen’s appreciation of Cressida’s intellect, and positive comments about her coursework, a clear barrier exists between them.

When Cressida uses Dee Rainford-Thomas, a vulnerable non-binary student struggling with school pressure, as a device to get across her opinions, things escalate.

Following a confrontation at the lockers, Helen detains Cressida and Dee after school. Cressida vehemently criticises Helen’s perspectives and provokes her about her son, causing Dee to feel anxious and distressed. Dee succumbs to the pressure and exits abruptly after Helen suggests that if they are unable to confront the challenges of the real world, they might as kill themselves.

The day after detention, Helen plans to go into school early to reconcile with Dee. However, her plans are disrupted when she arrives in the school courtyard to find a distraught Tessa. As the last person to have taught Dee, all eyes are on Helen, including Cressida’s. But what secret is Cressida hiding?

The Teacher begins Monday 30th March at 9pm on 5.