A Bedlington primary school has said goodbye to a teaching assistant who has clocked up an 'impressive' 39 years of working with pupils.
Heather Ord, 57, joined St Bede’s Catholic Primary School in Bedlington as a nursery assistant in 1983 when she was just 18 years old - making her their longest serving member of staff.
She said: "I was their youngest member of staff when I joined, and now I’m the oldest. It’s been my first and only job and is all I’ve known. My dad said I’d never get the job when I applied, as I wasn’t Catholic, but I was the first non-Catholic person they employed, and I’ve been there ever since.”
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Mrs Ord spent time in Year one and reception classes, as well as the nursery, during her many years of service, and saw two generations pass through the school. She added: “The first children I taught are in their forties now and I’ve seen their children go through the school too.
"I get to know the children when they first start in the nursery, so I see them for the longest. You almost become part of the family, you get to know them all so well. One little girl used to be brought to school by her grandparents. She came back when she was in high school to ask if I would go to her grandfather’s funeral. It was sad but so lovely that they wanted me there.”
Mrs Ord also saw plenty of change over the years, she said: “There was only eight or nine staff when I started and a tiny staff room – the school has just grown and grown. There’s also been lots of reinventing the wheel. New things will be introduced."
The school made sure the retirement of their much-loved staff member did not go unmarked. Headteacher Therese Worrall said: “Mrs. Ord received various gifts from the many people who she impacted throughout her time at St Bede’s.
“From the school staff, she received a charm to add to a bracelet she was given when she had 25 years’ service, and also a voucher to visit Kew Gardens, as this has always been her dream."
There was also a get together with children, staff, family, and friends, which included one very special guest – Mrs McGuigan, the first person Mrs Ord worked with when she joined St Bede’s.
Mrs Ord said: “She’s 84 now, and we’ve kept in touch all these years, I still call her Mrs McGuigan – I never use her first name – as it’s what I’ve always called her, out of respect.”
To celebrate her retirement, she plans to take an ‘out-of-school’ holiday: “I’ve lived my whole life around term times, so we’ve booked to go away during the term – I’ll feel a right rebel.”
There was nobody due to take over her role at St Bede’s when she left at the end of the summer term. Mrs. Worral said: “There is no official person taking over from her, Mrs Ord is irreplaceable.”
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