Series 6 (Episode 14)

Episode 14 is the 14th episode of Series 6. It originally aired 18th February 1983.

Summary
Randir has fractured his wrist in a school football match but continued to play until the end rather than risk Grange Hill missing out on the final, which impresses Mr Baxter. Gripper's period of suspension is now over and he wastes no time in re-establishing his presence throughout the school. He has an early morning confrontation with Glenroy in the playground that is broken up by Mr Hopwood. Then with an enlarged gang he finds Randir in a corridor with his arm in a sling and they all taunt him then pursue him into the boys' loos. Mr Baxter enters and is enraged when Gripper calls him a "Paki lover". The PE teacher grabs Gripper, forces his head into the sink and is about to literally wash his mouth out with soap when Gripper threatens to report him for assault. Mr Baxter gives the whole gang the punishment of getting mops to clean up the mess. Once they have gone he speaks to Randir who has been crying. The boy explains how he has to deal with people like Gripper every day and unlike Mr Baxter a non-white person can't spend all their time lashing out in defence. Mr Baxter tries to raise the boy's spirits with words. Later Randir approaches Glenroy's gang and Woody persuades the others to let him work with them to tackle Gripper but only when Glenroy says.

Mrs McClusky summons Mr McGuffy to her office where she berates him for his behaviour in front of parents, his scruffy dress and conduct, likening it to that of "a football terrace hooligan". She then pulls out a copy of the school magazine and points out he has encouraged pupils in the way they approached it. She suspends him. Later she tells Mr Hopwood that she wants to show herself as more open to the pupils and is going to hold a referendum on the proposal for flexi-time - but only on whether to refer it to the Board of Governors. Mr Hopwood immediately sees that this is entirely a gesture and the proposal will be rejected either by the vote or by the Governors. She assigns the task of printing ballot papers to Claire, Suzanne and Christine. Zammo, Jonah, Fay and Annette also help. The suspension of Mr McGuffy results in other teachers having to cover his classes. H4 are unimpressed when Mr Baxter turns up to take their English lesson but he rapidly shows his knowledge and delight when he learns they are currently studying Elizabethan verse romances and the class buckles down.

Gripper discovers Pogo in a loo cubicle reading a letter from a girl. He grabs the letter and demands a pound note at morning break for the return of the letter, otherwise it will go on public display. Later he goes to the print room and confronts Claire about the article she wrote, assaulting her with a dirty mop. Jonah sneaks out of the room and runs to tell Stewpot, Duane and Precious but by the time they arrive Gripper has gone. Stewpot charges off in fury but Duane restrains him, telling him he can't take the bully down alone but they can work with others. Glenroy is initially reluctant to work with them until Stewpot explains that Gripper hasn't just targeted black pupils. Together they confront Pogo and demand to know the details of his appointment with Gripper, offering to get his letter back unread. The whole group enters the school during break, telling Mr Baxter they have to see somebody and he accepts the reason. He then discovers Precious taking a dishevelled Claire to the sickbay and asks what has happened. The teacher soon deduces what the others are up to and starts searching the school.

Pogo, Randir, Stewpot, Woody, Duane and the others all enter the boy's loos to confront Gripper and his gang. Gripper returns Pogo's letter and then a fight starts but Mr Baxter charges in. He declares that he can't allow vigilante groups no matter how justified, but the school has let them all down in its poor handling of Gripper and he was very tempted to stay outside the loos and let the attack continue. Mr Baxter lists Gripper's crimes of "Racism. Bullying. Extortion." as more than enough to have him expelled for good. He walks Gripper, Denny and accomplices to Mrs McClusky's office as the others cheer the bully's final downfall.

Cast

 * Michael Cronin as Mr Baxter
 * Brian Capron Mr Hopwood
 * Fraser Cains as Scruffy McGuffy
 * Gwyneth Powell as Mrs McClusky
 * Mark Baxter as Duane Orpington
 * Alison Bettles as Fay Lucas
 * Paula Ann Bland as Claire Scott
 * Mark Burdis as Stewpot Stewart
 * Nadia Chambers as Annette Firman
 * Julian Griffiths as Denny Rees
 * Dulice Liecier as Precious Matthews
 * Lee MacDonald as Zammo McGuire
 * Tony McPherson as Woody Woods
 * Peter Moran as Pogo Patterson
 * Mark Savage as Gripper Stebson
 * Kaka Singh as Randir Singh
 * Lee Sparke as Jonah Jones
 * Susan Tully as Suzanne Ross
 * Lisa East as Christine Everson
 * Steven Woodcock as Glenroy