SWANMEAD School’s Sue Spurway celebrated 25 years as a member of staff last week.

The ‘dedicated’ and ‘enthusiastic’ employee was surprised with a bouquet and a bottle of champagne by pupils last Tuesday.

Mrs Spurway started work at the school in January 1989 and in that time she has been a finance assistant, school receptionist and more recently managed the school’s annual budget and administration team.

Sue is well known in the town and her association with the school goes back even further as a former pupil and she also worked at the school when her three sons attended.

Head teacher Mark Walker said: “Sue has seen many changes in the school over her time here. The longevity of her time here is startling – many staff members were not even born when Sue started working at the school.

“She regularly remembers many of our present children’s parents from when they attended Swanmead.”

Sue joins a unique list of quarter of a century staff members on the Swanmead Honours Board – school secretary Ann Kivett celebrated 25 years at the school last year but art teacher Alison Rose continues to lead the way, now entering her 33rd year.