East Preston teacher rewarded for 40 years of dedication

Cheryl Everitt, of East Preston Junior School, was presented with the Ted Wragg Award for Lifetime Achievement at the annual South East Teaching Awards.

"A lot of it is down to the fact that some very nice people, including our head Andy Dale, nominated me. Past pupils and fellow teachers spoke and wrote to judges, and if they had not had said nice things about me, then I would not have won," she said.

"I think it is lovely that they did, and want to thank them all."

The awards were presented at glittering ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral, and Cheryl said she was shocked to hear her name called out.

"Some people go through life and always win the prize, but I have never done that. I am one of those people who never win anything.

"I looked around and the room was full of fantastic teachers, and I thought 'why should I win, all of these people have done so much'. But, of course, it is lovely to have been singled out."

Cheryl started her career at a special needs school in Coventry, but moved to East Preston in the 1980s. Since then she has worked in both the infant and primary schools, in Lashmar Road.

"I am very lucky," she said, "as now I am working with all the schools in the area, organising events that involve children from The Angmering School, and the eight primary schools that feed into it. I help the schools support each other and work together.

"I am 60 this year, and working in the classroom is extremely tiring work. I now work one day a week in the classroom, and I have to thank

Andy for letting me take on this other role, which I really enjoy."

Cheryl will now go forward to the UK Teaching Awards, to be held on October 25 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, and broadcast later that day on BBC2

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