By Slanted Light

Interesting. I really disliked this episode, but won't harsh your squee by going into all that.

The Doctor has had a number of adventures in and around Coal Hill over the years - namely the 6th and 7th Doctors. The 6th's visit was fairly fleeting, he had a brief moment of nostalgia outside the junkyard but didn't go near the school, but the 7th had a whole adventure centred around both the junkyard and the school - Remembrance of the Daleks, well worth watching. And Coal Hill was, of course, where it all started, way back when Susan decided she wanted to enrol at a local school (because Susan loved to learn and longed for companionship) and two of her teachers got curious about her. The 1st Doctor era is wonderful, especially when watched in order, as an ongoing story rather than standalone adventures - primitive, yes, but I'll take those character dynamics and development any day over the mean-spirited offerings we're getting today.