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School Days: 2001-2007
Martin has Asperger's syndrome - an autistic spectrum
disorder - which means he sees the world in a very logical
way and finds social situations confusing or difficult.
This makes him excel in Maths and ICT and he'll often
do more homework than is asked of him, or study a subject
under his own steam. His brother Ben, a former Grange
Hill pupil, is fiercely protective of him. Martin doesn't
have many friends; his right-hand man Josh left Grange
Hill a few years ago. A previous relationship with Kathy
didn't progress beyond a single kiss, as Martin finds
close physical contact disorientating. Martin often says
the wrong thing at the wrong time - sometimes his literal
(rather than lateral) thinking helps others to weigh up
a situation.
As his time at Grange Hill draws to a close, Martin's
biggest concern is how he'll cope with university next
year. But having had little success with girls, could
his fortunes be about to change?
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MARTIN'S
SCHOOL REPORT |
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Year 7 Martin's behaviour
gives much amusement to Maddie and Shona, but Kathy takes
him under her wing. She later deduces he issuffering from
Asperger's syndrome.
Year 8 After some persuasion, Martin joins the
school web site team. He develops a crush on Leah but
doesn't know what's happening to him. Martin feels sorry
for Maddie and persuades her to stand up to Tina.
Year 9 Martin and Josh launch their website, "Article
12-24". At first he doesn't realise Kathy wants to
be his girlfriend but now feels the same way about her.
But his attempts to ask Kathy out prove disastrous; eventually
Martin realises he wants her and they get together on
Sports Day. Martin and Josh are excluded for rigging up
a webcam in the staffroom.
Year 10 Martin doesn't know what do to around
Kathy and Josh tells him to put "module 2"
into action - and he gropes a shocked Kathy in the playground!
Realising how much Josh wants to go on the French exchange,
Martin submits his entry in Josh's name. With Josh gone,
Martin becomes "friends" with Max but all
he wants is someone to do his homework. Martin eventually
realises he's been taken for a mug and tries standing
up to Max - and gets floored for his trouble.
Year 11 Martin disappoints Kathy by revealing he
just wants to be friends. He suggests Grange Hill start
up a radio station, but Malachay tries passing the idea
off as his own. Martin and Maddie become friends and they
go to the DVD premiere together.
Year 12 Martin and Holly persuade a firm to
donate an incinerator for the enterprise scheme. However,
the stress gets to him and Martin's fuse becomes short.
No-one will listen to Martin's concerns that the wind
turbine group is cheating, so he takes matters into
his own hands and finds the proof.
Year 13 Because no-one has discussed university
with him, Martin believes the staff think he's not cut
out for higher education. He proves everyone wrong by
initiating his own application, even missing Baz's funeral
to attend an interview. Martin becomes concerned for Kathy
when she develops a taste for alcohol. At the dance contest,
Max spikes Martin's drink which leaves him terrified.
Martin is pleasantly surprised when Kathy announces she'll
be going to the same university he has applied for. |
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ASSOCIATES: Shona West,
Kathy McIlroy, Josh Irvine, Karen Young, Baz Wainwright, Holly
Parsons, Max Humphries
CURRENT WHEREABOUTS: Hoping
that Kathy would be joining him at Leeds University, he is now
having to fend for himself there as Kathy returns to Grange
Hill as a teaching assistant. |
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