Jodie Allen, better known as Scout, lived with her mother and three-year-old brother Liam in a squalid flat on a rundown estate before moving up to Scotland with her school. Her mother didn't work, and the benefits she received were not enough to cover the debts. Scout's father left some years ago and has no contact. Scout provided for the family in any way she could, stealing food, doing a paper round and working as a courier for the local drug dealer.
Scout first appears as a small and dishevelled tomboy at Sambuca Kelly's memorial service, with a quick wit and sharp humour. Potential bullies give her a wide berth for fear of being humiliated by her cutting observations. A modern day artful dodger, Scout knows all the tricks to get out of trouble, spinning complex yarns at the drop of a hat to outsmart her accusers, whether it's teachers, police or fellow pupils. She has bundles of energy and when she washes down packets of Smarties with bottles of limeade, doesn't everybody know it!
Scout is a match for any teacher and will give them relentless lip, but it is never malicious and her charm keeps her out of the cooler for the most part. Scout is a very intelligent girl who scores consistently high marks across all subjects.
Scout's bravado is a smokescreen. As long as people are laughing at the people she is poking fun at, they are not looking at the tatty state of her uniform or asking personal questions. She is well liked and is friends with Denzil and Em, but she keeps them at a distance for fear that the poverty of her home life will be exposed. Underneath the child-like antics, Scout is a girl who has been forced to grow up too quickly and take on responsibility for a struggling family.
Scout and Liam were put into foster care despite Chris's attempts to help when their ineffectual mother left them home alone.
In later episodes, Scout and Em started to embark on a friendship that took them on a journey of rebellion and fun until Em took it a step too far, leaving Scout questioning the morality of their actions. This marked the end of their friendship.
In Series 7, Scout is set up by her mother to marry Ukrainian immigrant, Danilo Babicz. Scout thinks her mother is finally showing an interest in her so goes along with the wedding. She later finds out Danilo's brother paid her mum £5,000 for the marriage so his brother could get a visa to stay in the UK. Scout calls the police on her mother before telling her that she never wants to see her again.
In Series 8, Scout joins the staff and students with the move to Scotland, joining Michael Byrne's new independent school. At first, Scout has a run-in with Rhiannon Salt and they had a bitter feud. They patch things up, although they struggle to see eye to eye sometimes. When the PRU is set up, Scout and Rhiannon are quick to be put there and they become closer as time wears on. Scout is very boisterous from time to time and acts without thinking, causing anger and tension between Nikki and Scout about a stolen car, until Nikki sees the error of her ways. We then see Nikki doing everything to help support Scout in her studies.
Scout cares for her friends and is desperate to do the right thing for them. We see Scout's mother make a return, demanding to Scout that she can be a better mother. But when hiding her in the house from everyone, Scout realises she's probably nicked everyone's stuff as she used to do. Scout gets a lift from Michael's car and shrieks at her mother that she's a liar and she wishes she was dead. Then her mother vomits blood and in hospital says she has a severe chest infection. After speaking to Scout, Tina goes into cardiac arrest. Scout watches as the doctors use a defibrillator to try to revive Tina, but she dies. Scout runs from the hospital back to school to try to finish her test.
Scout gets back to school late but convinces the teachers to let her sit the exam still. Later on, Michael looks through the test and says that she has done well. Scout returns to hospital to feel close to her mum. Michael follows her there and they sit on the steps outside. Scout says that she has decided that she wants to be a teacher and she is going to "go off to university to do teacher training and then come back to show you all how it's done". Michael says that she will do well.
Trivia[]
- Scout's favourite film is Twilight.
- Her favourite book is To Kill a Mockingbird, which could explain her nickname after one of the main characters in the story, Scout Finch.
- She is a "dog person".
Behind the scenes[]
- Scout's actress, Katie McGlynn, had a very minor role as an extra in Series 4 Episode 11. Chlo Grainger cuts her hair as part of her hairdressing exam. McGlynn also appears as a student at Karla Bentham's art exhibition in Series 4 Episode 12.
- After leaving Waterloo Road, McGlynn went on to play Sinead Tinker in Coronation Street from 2013 to 2019.
Quotes[]
- "Give that man a gold star." (first line)
- "Name's Scout. I'm starting school, here."
- "Jodie Allen, but don't bother calling me that, cos I won't answer it. Scout or nothing."
- "You're wasting your time! I don't wanna be put into care with total strangers!"
- Scout: "And I thought you were supposed to be pretty bright!"
- Emily: "You don't know anything about me!"
- Scout: "I know a stuck-up cow when I see one."
- "How can it be alright? They paid for me!"
- Scout: "Somebody stole me brother's photo, and I know who! What are you laughing about, raspberry face?!"
- Maggie: "Hang on, don't upset yourself, we'll get it sorted!"
- Scout: "Well you better, or Rhiannon Salt's gonna get murdered!"
- Scout: "Yeah you do. What? You think this is funny? This is my little brother!"
- Rhiannon: "I see he's got your eyes."
- Scout: "Touch me, I'll get you done for assault, right."
- Nikki: "You have so picked the wrong person to try that on with. Get down. Get down!"
- "How could you, I trusted you! 'Cept I shoulda known better, because you're a liar and a thief, I WISH YOU WERE DEAD!"
- Scout: "So I'm gonna go to uni, I'm gonna do my teacher training, and then I'm gonna come back here and tell you all what to do! I never really thought about it before, when people said life's short. But it is, innit?"
- Michael: "Yeah, it is."
- Scout: "I'm not gonna waste mine." (final line)