THEY are the unsung heroes, the ones who work tirelessy but quietly behind the scenes to keep the school running smoothly.

But to mark National Support Workers Day, Sally Leung, the head teacher of Montgomery Infants School and Nursery decided to bring those dedicated staff from the background into the foreground.

To be strictly accurate, she put them on to the school stage where, to rapturous applause, she presented them each with a certificate and a yellow rose.

A total of 30 kitchen staff, dinner ladies, learning support assistants and administration staff were publically pronounced to be Very Important People and were thanked for going above and beyond the call of duty for others.

Mrs Leung said: "We would not be able to do half of the things we do without these wonderful people.

"They ensure the children are safe and happy and have life-long learning. I am so proud of them.

"The support staff not only look after the children, they give them the best possible environment and learning support. They contribute to their well-being."

Montgomery Infants School and Nursery is unique in Colchester in so far as nearly 60 per cent of its 300 children are from military families.

As such, there are times when the children need that little bit of extra support such as when a parent is deployed to a war zone.

Long-serving staff Jackie West and Bev Jackson both understand the pressures on military families as both were army wives.

Grandmother Jackie, 57, joined the school in 1989 when she moved to the area from Gibraltar with her husband, John, who was serving in the Royal Anglians.

Jackie first got a job at Montgomery Infants School as a dinner lady.

She said: "I went on to provide one-to-one support in two classes and was then taken on as a learning support assistant.

"I thought I would only be here for four years because that was how long my husband was posted in Colchester but when my husband left the Army, we did not want to move."

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Bev, too, joined the school in 1989 and, like Jackie, was then married to a soldier although her husband, John, was in the Royal Corps of Transport.

During his career, he served in Northern Ireland and Iraq and was involved in the freeing of Kuwait.

"A lot of the staff here are from ex-military families," she said.

"It is nice because we understand the pressures on Army families and we can support them as well as the children.

"We know what it can be like and how difficult it can be for families when someone is away.

"We are there for them. It is a home from home Bev, who is also a grandmother, started as a dinner lady at the school before becoming a learning support assistant. For the past 15 years, she has worked in the school office.

"I'm the first aider too," she said, "so I give the children's their medicine and a cuddle too if they need it."

Their love at working at the school exudes from them. Jackie said: "It is the most rewarding job to have worked with a child with education problems and to get them through that."

Bev agrees and said: "They are lovely children and it is lovely to work here."

Both Bev and Jackie are somewhat awkward at being interviewed. Being in the limelight does not sit comfortably with them.

But Mrs Leung is unapologetic.

She said: "They deserve the attention and the thanks. We couldn't do our jobs without them.

"If the staff are happy, the children are happy and then we are all happy."

 

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Gazette reporter Katherine Palmer handing over a Community Hero award 

 

The Gazette is on the hunt for the community's unsung heroes.

We have teamed up with Abellio Greater Anglia to recognise the hard work of our community stars who go the extra mile for others.

If you would like to nominate someone for recognition, email us at gazette.newsdesk@nqe.com, saying who the person is, giving details of why they deserve to win and including a picture.

Please remember to include yours and their telephone numbers so we can get in touch.

Winners will be presented with an award and a £100 thank you.