Between the three of them, Ang Harris, Sue Russ and Jo Westley have spent a combined 75 years at Richmond School in jobs they love.
While Ang has long been the first port of call in the school’s office, Sue and Jo have worked alongside pupils with learning, physical or behavioural needs.
When the trio joined the school in 2001 there were just 350 pupils, and since then they have seen the roll climb to more than 500, new classrooms built, and more complex needs develop. Along with a changing community, medical diagnoses and understanding of children’s needs have changed, and their roles have adapted to meet those challenges.
“Every day is different,” Sue says. “You’re working with people and people are all different.”
Jo describes their role as a huge responsibility, which often sees them being the advocate for a pupil. She says thayt one reason they can be advocates is the school’s decision to prioritise funding to top up Government funding for learning support.
They are part of a team of 15 learning assistants at the school, mostly part time, who are there for pupils who need extra help.
“It’s really rewarding,” Jo says. “Sometimes it can be slow to see, but being part of the progress is great.”
Ang says that one of the highlights of being at the school for so long is getting to know the families as well as the pupils who blossom as they go through their primary school years.
“I love my job,” she says. “You see kids that don’t say boo at the office, and you get a relationship with them over time and they come in chatting.
“But I can also get growly and grumpy – especially with the parents who don’t read their newsletters!”
Between the three of them, they have had seven daughters taught at the school, and now one of Ang’s daughters is a teacher there, with a grandson likely to become the family’s third generation in the classrooms.
Sue and Jo were even part of the same playgroup with their daughters and have gone on to work for 25 years as teacher aides/learning assistants.
Coming soon is one of the trio’s highlights of the year – the annual Book Character Parade on 28 August, when the entire school gets the opportunity to dress up as their favourite book character and parade through Richmond.
