Broughton Gifford assembly secret is bananas (From Wiltshire Times)

Broughton Gifford assembly secret is bananas

6:00pm Saturday 28th July 2012 in Melksham By Chris Melvin

A teaching assistant at St Mary’s School in Broughton Gifford has been honoured by staff and pupils after 25 years of service.

Jenny Adams, 59, was surprised with a special assembly attended by all 80 pupils at the village primary last Wednesday morning.

Mrs Adams, who lives just up the road from the school in Curtis Orchard, was presented with flowers, gift vouchers and a photobook of memories from her time with the school.

She was also given an array of paper ornament jewellery decorated by pupils.

Husband Mick was also there, to present her with a bouquet of flowers.

She told the assembly: “I’m not going anywhere, believe you me. You’re all so special; there’s something special about every one of you.”

After the assembly, Mrs Adams said she had no idea it was going to happen, but had been suspicious when the children kept using the codeword “bananas” when she came near, to warn classmates to hide what they were working on.

She said: “I didn’t think it was this for a minute. I’m quite emotional.”

Mrs Adams joined the school in the 1980s as a teaching assistant when her daughter Carli was a pupil.

She has performed a range of roles, working with every class, doing some one-to-one teaching and taking social skills and first aid classes.

Asked to pick highlights of her time at St Mary’s, she said: “There’s so many, I wouldn’t know where to start. It’s the children, just to watch them how they start and come up through the school.

“I’ve seen hundreds of kids and even their dads and mums. It’s weird when you think of someone who has just left and now their own children are here. They’re all so different. The school is a wonderful school.”

Headteacher Angela McAuley said: “I think she’s been a rock at our school. She’s got total dedication and commitment. It’s just her enthusiasm and love of the children. She’s really inspired them and people throughout the village know her. The school owes her huge debt of gratitude.”

Mrs Adams added that she planned to stay at the school for the foreseeable future.

“I still feel I’ve got lots to give and I love it,” she said.

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