Davina Shackleton: An Admirable Zero Bullsh*t Tolerance In Life And Career – Was She Right To Leave Waterloo Road After Ending Her Relationship?

We spoke about Tom Clarkson a little bit while analyzing Lorna Dickey’s sad and tragic character arc in the first two seasons of Waterloo Road, the British school drama airing on the BBC network. Tom was Lorna’s ex-husband. While they started the series together, their union was short-lived. Tom was always in love with Izzie, Lorna’s best friend. And like Tom told Lorna in a drunken state, he only married her because he felt sorry for her. Tom made her feel so alone in the marriage that she felt she had to abort their baby.

Following her divorce from Tom, Lorna struggled with a deep emotional turmoil. She was depressed. This depression became too much for her to bear once she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, condition that happens when the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord. This led to her eventual suicide. Tom and Izzie, even though devastated by Lorna’s demise, continued their relationship and even planned to marry. Sadly, just two episodes later, Izzie died too. She was stabbed to death by a drug dealer who was attacking Jack Rimmer, Waterloo Road’s headmaster. Izzie died defending Jack; in Jack’s arms. Without hesitation, she ran to him to him, and was killed just as fast. Jack tried his best to keep her alive and called for help, but no avail. In the aftermath of what had happened, Jack suffered from PTSD, even having nightmares of his girlfriend getting hurt the very same way Izzie did.

Tom was heartbroken. He lost the love of his life. But through it all, he continued to care for Izzie’s two daughters, Mika and Chlo, and took on a parental role in their lives. He blamed Jack for the tragedy, and even though he continued to be employed at the school, he absolutely refused to have anything to do with Jack by any means, no matter how much Jack tried. At the time, Jack was in a relationship with Davina Shackleton, who started off working at the school as a secretary and eventually was promoted to a teaching position, tried to get Tom to speak to Jack and explain the situation to him, but he still refused. It took Jack to be suspended as headteacher from Waterloo Road after mismanaging the school’s yearly budget for Tom to make amends with him.

Jack and Davina broke off their engagement after he’d slept with Steph, the school’s French teacher. Jack called it a mistake. He begged for Davina’s forgiveness; telling her he needed her. But she never needed him. She just wanted to be with him. She supported him through his PTSD because she wanted to; not because she had to. You might say to yourselves that she only got ahead in her career because of him, but that’s just not the case. In fact, he was the one holding her back in her career. When Jack was made to fire Davina without any professional cause other than for simply not liking her, as well as for control, by a cult-like leader who was funding the school, Jack was quick to do as he was told. He didn’t even defend the woman he claimed to love.

The breakup between Jack and Davina left room for a new romance to blossom between Tom and Davina. This was fully supported by Izzie’s daughters. In fact, it was initiated by Mika herself, though very poorly. The two got together eventually, and embarked on a solid, longterm union. As viewers, we really thought this was it for Tom; that he’d finally found happiness in his life; that he finally found ‘The One’. The relationship was tested, however, when Davina considered leaving with Jack Rimmer for a headteacher post in Dubai, but she ultimately chose Tom. But it wasn’t a happy-ending, because by the following year, just on the very same day that Davina is promoted as teacher at Waterloo Road, and Tom, after feeling unloved, unappreciated and undervalued by him.

Let me get to the point: Tom and Davina were never good together. Davina wrongfully suspected Tom was having an affair with Rose Kelly after witnessing him lend her money, leading her to believe he was unloved and undervalued and causing her to leave him and the school for good to pursue her own ambitions. Tom had developed feelings for Davina, but their relationship was often complicated by the lingering presence and influence of Chlo and Mika in Tom’s life. To break it down more thoroughly:

Reasons for the Breakup 

• Misunderstanding and a False Accusation: Davina’s suspicion of an affair was a misunderstanding; Tom had lent money to Rose, but it wasn’t an affair. 

• Feeling Unloved and Undervalued: The false suspicion, coupled with the feeling that Tom was prioritizing others, led Davina to believe she was unloved and undervalued in their relationship. 

• Desire for Independence: Davina had her own ambitions and, after the relationship crisis, decided to leave Tom and the school for good to follow those dreams, ending up on a train heading for a new destination. 

Complicating Factors

• Influence of Chlo and Mika: Even after they became an item, Davina felt overshadowed by Chlo and Mika’s presence in Tom’s life, which made their relationship difficult to establish. 

• Tom’s Efforts to Reconcile: At various points, Tom tried to pursue Davina and win her back, including confessing his love for her in public, but ultimately their paths diverged. 

For the first time in a long time, I could finally say that Tom wasn’t the reason for his romantic relationship being toxic. He certainly had a history of treating his partners in a certain way. I’ll add to it by saying that he was a good teacher and loving father-figure to Mika and Chlo, but he had a certain reputation when it came to his relationships with Lorna and Izzie; but especially Lorna. It wasn’t Tom this time who caused the end of the relationship. It was Davina. At the same time, I could understand where her anger and frustration came from.

It all started in the aftermath of Izzie’s death. Davina and Jack had just gotten through a rough patch in their relationship after Davina’s one-night stand with a student, who eventually became Mika’s boyfriend, before they each were ever at the school. Mika knew of her boyfriend’s one-night stand with Davina, so she spoke of it with Steph, thinking she knew as well. Wanting to deliberately ruin Davina’s future, both in her career and relationship with Jack, Steph told of the matter to Jack. Jack didn’t believe her, and in turn aimed to destroy Steph’s career for slander. He had Davina write a letter of her firing to the board, as well as send it to the postal. Feeling guilty, especially for the fact that what Steph told Jack was true, Davina didn’t have the heart to send it.

Jack, realizing that what Steph had told him was true, couldn’t handle the truth, and broke up with Davina. It wasn’t that he accused her of cheating, but rather that he felt jealous that a student had gotten with her first. She tried to get him to see there was nothing to her one-night stand, and that Brett, the student she’d previously slept with, meant nothing to her, but everything seemed to have been on Jack’s terms, and Jack’s terms only. The two eventually worked things out once Davina stood up for herself, as well as her ground. Jack understood that he wasn’t being reasonable for blaming Davina for something that happened in the past before they even met. Brett wasn’t thinking of Davina in a romantic way. He wasn’t interested. He was having his own relationship drama with Mika, and Chlo after they’d slept together and cheated on each other’s partners.

But Jack and Davina’s happiness was short-lived. It had nothing to do with the fact that he was holding her back in her career and not defending her against people who aimed to destroy her career because she made a mistake by sleeping with Brett because these people were finding the school. Once he realized he was wrong to have done that, he began to encourage Davina to do everything she could to further her career. When a new student with Asperger’s Syndrome, now in the same spectrum as autism, came to school, no one was willing to work with her. When Karla, the autistic student, and her mother, come to see Jack, Jack found out that she was expelled from 3 different schools already due to her behavioural challenges. Steph wasn’t thinking one teacher who was adamant about not being able to work with her. Then again, Steph wasn’t the best teacher at Waterloo Road. I’d go as far as saying that some of the things she’d done was questionable, and her position at the school was questionable, and it’s surprising that she lasted as long as she did working at Waterloo Road.

But not Davina. Davina, unlike Steph or any other teacher asked to work with Karla, was eager to work with Karla, and help her any way she could. After working with her, she realized she needed more training in order to provide Karla the best care. The course program she found to further her qualifications was long-distance and would take her away from the school and Jack. She felt guilty leaving Jack at such a vulnerable state, but he insisted that she went. She did, but it somehow came at a price.

As he was trying to feel less lonely in his time of vulnerability, he was doing everything he could to manage on his own, with medication and therapy sessions. None of it was working, however. He was trying to get a hold of Davina and get to speak to her on the phone, but she was unreadable; probably busy with her course work. He was drained emotionally and mentally. But he found comfort in drinking, as well as in Steph. After a night of fun at the bar, the two slept together.

The night meant nothing to Jack. It was just a moment of passion; an urge, more like, to meet his needs of feeling less lonesome. He tried to move on from it and pretend it never happened. He didn’t tell Davina of what happened, nor was he ever planning to. Instead, he proposed to her. But it meant something to Steph. In fact, she was hoping to be with him in the long run. She was in love with him. But to him, she was just someone that felt a void. It was understandable that she’d be heartbroken when she found out Jack had proposed to Davina, and she was. She did the right thing and kept the one-night stand she had with Jack a secret from Davina, but she did tell Matt, a friend and Waterloo Road’s music teacher. Assuming that she already knew, he accidentally told Davina of Jack’s cheating.

Davina was devastated. She was more devastated that she found out from someone other than Jack about what happened than the cheating itself. She felt betrayed by the fact that he wasn’t ever going to tell her to begin with. He was making plans for the wedding and for their marriage when the entire time, he was keeping a secret and villainizing Steph. Now Steph wasn’t entirely an angel in the situation, but it wasn’t like Jack said no to her advances either. Just as I mentioned earlier, Jack begged her to stay with him. He told her he needed her; that he couldn’t live without her. Davina didn’t need him, and she could live without him. She didn’t want to. The betrayal was too much for her to handle, and no matter how much he begged, she took the engagement ring off and ended the relationship. And she told him exactly how she saw it; that it was like he needed someone to pick up the pieces of his life, and she couldn’t do it; not anymore. Nevertheless, despite their breakup, Davina defended him when no one else did.

After it was found out by the board that Jack was mishandling the school’s budget, he was let go of working at the school. Some time later, he came back with the hopes of getting back together with Davina and having her come with him to Dubai as he was offered a headmaster position at a school there. Davina let go of her relationship with Jack and anything she could’ve had with him if he hadn’t broken her trust. That said, she chose to be with Tom. This, however, didn’t mean that there weren’t any hurdles in their own relationship, because there were. Throughout their relationship, Davina never felt like she was Tom’s priority. She always felt second to Mika and Chlo.

But why wouldn’t she feel second to Mika and Chlo when the two of them were his daughters? It didn’t matter that they weren’t biologically his. He took on the role of their father when he was in a relationship with their mother, and their mother’s death didn’t change that. In fact, I think it strengthened their relationship even further. He didn’t have to take on the role of a father; especially after his partner’s death. He did it because he wanted to; because he loved those two girls with everything he had. So of course they’d be his priority over anything – and anyone – else. I’m saying this now as a parent myself. I know I’ve been harsh on Tom these past two blog entries. It wasn’t for nothing. He was a toxic partner, especially to Lorna. But he was a damn good father. In the reboot series, it was revealed that Chlo and her husband, Donte, named their second child Tommy, in honour of Tom. Their eldest daughter was named after Chlo’s mother.

With the support of Tom and Rachel Mason, the headmaster who replaced Jack, Davina furthered her career by becoming a teacher. Season 4 episode 15 saw her officially being promoted. It was a celebration; or at least it should’ve been. Davina wasn’t feeling very festive on that particular day because she was feeling neglected by Tom. And to further her frustrations further, she found out Tom was helping Rose, another employee at Waterloo Road financially when she found money taken out of their joint account. After witnessing Tom being slapped by Rose, she wrongfully assumed that the two were having an affair. Tom denied it, but she didn’t believe him. Davina then packed a bag and left a note to Tom saying she was leaving him and Waterloo Road. She was last seen entering a train station, apparently having her own ambitions in mind. Although she is initially hesitant, she declines Tom’s phone call and boards the train, and is not seen again. Tom eventually did begin a romantic relationship with Rose, but never did he court her when he was with Davina, and Rose was respectful of Tom and Davina’s relationship. In fact, Davina left Tom, he was planning a surprise celebration for her. She didn’t even have the guts to end the relationship in person.

Davina Shackleton. How would you describe Davina Shackleton? Davina was seen as an outgoing, impulsive, and organised character who evolves from the headteacher’s PA to a special needs teaching assistant and later a qualified teacher. Known for her drive, sensitivity, and fashion sense, she provided crucial support to struggling students like Karla Bentham and headteacher Jack Rimmer, though her own relationships, particularly with Tom Clarkson, proved challenging. To elaborate further:

Key Characteristics

• Personality: Davina is described as outgoing, impulsive, and capable, known for her natural talent in teaching and her knack for organisation. 

• Appearance: She is portrayed as someone who enjoys her makeup and clothes, making a deliberate effort to look good for work. 

• Role Evolution: She began as Jack Rimmer’s secretary, then became his lover before transitioning to a teaching assistant, focusing on students with special needs, and eventually becoming a qualified teacher. 

• Supportive Nature: Davina shows immense support and strength to those around her, especially to Jack Rimmer during his struggles and to the inclusion pupil Karla Bentham. 

• Sensitivity and Patience: She demonstrates a keen ability to understand and connect with the needs of students with conditions like Asperger’s, fostering a supportive environment for Karla to thrive. 

Key Storylines

• Relationship with Jack Rimmer: She was Jack’s PA and later his lover, providing him significant support during a difficult time for the school. 

• Relationship with Tom Clarkson: Her relationship with Tom was complex, often overshadowed by other women in his life, and she eventually left him and the school. 

• Working with Karla Bentham: Davina’s sensitive approach and understanding made her a key figure in helping the autistic student, Karla, succeed. 

• Career Progression:Encouraged by others, Davina pursued a course to become a fully qualified teacher. 

Going back to Davina’s relationship with Jack, I’d like to emphasize that me judging Jack’s actions was in no way made with the intention of belittling the trauma he’d endured. I actually met a woman recently who started experiencing seizures due to the trauma she’d endured of witnessing her best friend being stabbed. Nevertheless, that trauma was never to be used as an excuse (or even a reason) for his cheating on Davina.

Davina was an empathetic, kind, and caring woman. She was also an intelligent, intellectual, hardworking, determined woman. But she was also a woman who took absolutely zero bullsh*t from anyone. That zero bullsh*t policy was instilled in both her professional AND personal life. Was it the right the right approach? Depends. I truly believe Davina’s zero bullsh*t approach really helped her in her career, but not in her personal life, particularly in her relationship with Tom.

There were several instances throughout her time at Waterloo Road where her professional capabilities as a teacher were tested, she could’ve been fired or quit, but she never let it happen, but she never let it happen. She fought for herself. Examples include when one of Davina’s AEN pupils’ father, wanted to be in a relationship with her, but when she rejected him, he tried to complain to Rachel about her touching his son up. Or when started a feud with new Supply Teacher Maaka Lacey, after Maaka entered the classroom while Davina was covering his Year 11 PSHE class delivering a successful lesson on stereotypes, and Maaka began to speak about his own culture of New Zealand, not teaching the students anything, much to the annoyance of Davina. After Bolton Smilie and Paul Langley made some homophobic remarks in class and Maaka laughed them off, Davina informed Maaka that at Waterloo Road, they do not stand for homophobia. Maaka then reported Davina to Rachel Mason, claiming that Davina insulted his culture when she used the words “where you come from”. 

This is actually the most important trait to have when it comes to teaching – zero bullsh*t. And yes – empathy as well, especially when working with someone like Karla. It takes a special kind of person to work with someone like Karla, and not only that, but also work WELL with someone like Karla. That said, Davina had something in her that probably no other teacher at the school had in them, which made her so great at her job.

When it came to her relationship with Tom, however, it was an entirely different story. Relationships take maturity, commitment, communication, compromise, trust, respect, and a willingness to accept each other’s flaws. There’s no such thing as zero bullsh*t rule in a relationship. There WILL be bullsh*t in a relationship, whether one likes it or not. Davina couldn’t handle all that in her personal life. What worked in her career ambition didn’t work in her love life.

I truly believe that Davina didn’t handle her conflict with Tom well. That conflict could’ve easily been resolved. But Davina’s zero bullsh*t rule got in the way of anything being worked out. Her leaving the school due to the end of the relationship was also, I believe, a cowardly move of her. She could’ve stayed. She could’ve been a big girl and worked at the same place as her ex. At the same time, I believe that she was already hurt so much by Jack’s infidelity that Tom hurting by getting close to another woman was the last straw. Then again, whether her decision was “right” depends on whether one prioritizes Davina’s personal happiness and growth, or the professional and personal relationships she left behind, particularly her impact on Karla. Her leaving could be very much subjective. To elaborate further:

Arguments in Favor of Her Leaving:

• Lack of Love and Value: Davina felt unloved and undervalued by Tom, and his continued obsession with Rose was a significant factor in her decision to leave. 

• Relationship with Tom: The relationship between Tom and Davina was complicated, and his lingering feelings for Rose made it difficult for their relationship to thrive. 

• Personal Growth: Leaving to start a new life for herself can be seen as a positive step for her personal growth, as she was not happy in her current situation. 

Arguments Against Her Leaving (or Criticisms of Her Exit):

• Impact on Karla Bentham: Her sudden departure without a proper goodbye to Karla, whom she had a special connection with and was helping with her Asperger’s Syndrome, was criticized as out of character and disappointing for viewers who enjoyed their storyline. 

• Inconsistency with Jack: Some viewers pointed out the hypocrisy in Davina leaving Jack for an affair with Brett, only to leave Tom because of his apparent relationship with Rose, feeling she was less forgiving of others’ perceived faults than she expected for her own. 

• Unresolved Issues: Her departure left unresolved issues with Tom and a gap in Karla’s life and story arc at the school, which some felt was a missed opportunity for further character development for Karla. 

No matter what I myself think, Davina did what she felt was right for her. She never settled for anything less than what she felt she deserved, and I truly admired that about her character arc throughout the 44 episodes that she appeared in. She might’ve been seen a ditzy dumb blonde at times, especially by Steph, but she was much more than that.