Teacher moves on after more than 30 years at same school

A teaching assistant who spent more than 30 years working at the same school left on Friday to spend more time with her family.

Mrs Michelle Williams completed a two-year NNEB course at Basford Hall College, Nottingham. During her training her nursery and infants placements were at John Hunt Infants’ School, Balderton.

“I was always passionate about working with children,” she said.

After completing her training she worked in a jewellery shop until a job was advertised at John Hunt Infants’.

“I applied and the rest is history,” she said.

She said the role of nursery nurses had been replaced by that of teaching assistants.

The school became John Hunt primary in 2008 and Mrs Williams was appointed as support staff manager, working with children across the school.

From January 2016 she worked as a teaching assistant in the mornings and support staff manager in the afternoons. In September she became a full-time teaching assistant.

She served as a governor at the school for many years.

"I will miss this terribly."

Mrs Williams, who worked under four headteachers, said she had enjoyed her time at John Hunt.

“Some of the parents of children at school now were pupils themselves here when I first started and I still remember most of them,” she said.

“Working with children, colleagues, families and outside agencies has given me so much job satisfaction over the years and I will miss this terribly.”

Mrs Williams said, at the age of 49, she wanted to spend more time with her family and recharge her batteries.

She and her husband, Dr John Williams, enjoy walking and they hoped to travel.