It’s all change this term at Waterloo Road – the focus of BBC1’s popular school drama – and among new faces in the staffroom are Bradford actresses Sarah Jane Potts and Vinette Robinson.

The new series of Waterloo Road has seen tension arise as the comprehensive is merged with private school John Fosters.

The merger is overseen by a new executive head, played by former Holby City actor and winner of last year’s Strictly Come Dancing, Tom Chambers, and there are new members of staff. They include Jo Lipsett, head of modern languages, played by Sarah Jane, and newly-qualified English teacher Helen Hopewell, played by Vinette.

Both characters are causing friction. Jo’s professionalism and no-nonsense approach intimidates French teacher Steph Haydock, (Denise Welch), while Helen, who can’t cope with classroom disruption, is nicknamed “Hopeless Hopewell” and blames her failures on the “savagery” of Waterloo Road pupils. Sarah Jane, who has appeared in such TV dramas as Casualty and Bodies, is the sister of Bradford actor Andrew Lee Potts, star of ITV’s Primeval.

The siblings went to Bradford’s Scala Kids stage school and, as youngsters, starred in TV’s Children’s Ward and Emmerdale.

Vinette, who went to Intake drama school in Leeds, starred in BBC1 drama Hope Springs, screened over the summer, about four female ex-convicts running a Scottish hotel.

This isn’t the first time actors from the district have entered the doors of Waterloo Road.

Katie Griffiths, of Kildwick, near Keighley, played feisty Chlo, a pupil who got pregnant and married while still at school, in the previous four series.

Katie is a pupil at Idle’s Stage 84, along with Scott Kay, of Wibsey, who played gang leader Zak and Nikki Patel, of Drighlington, who played geeky Shazir in the school drama. Nikki is best known as Dev Alahan’s daughter, Amber, in Coronation Street.

Waterloo Road is on BBC1 on Wednesdays at 8pm.