Our beloved Alison Pidgeon has cleaned off her whiteboard for the very last time and is leaving us after fifteen years. Miss Pidg is a lovely, indispensable member of our team. Beloved by all, she will be sorely missed. We asked her to tell us about her time at St Stephen's and then called on some colleagues, past and present, to say a word or two about her. Take it away Miss Pidg ....

What a fifteen years it’s been! I started working at St Stephen’s when my middle child, Grace, was in Year Six and my youngest, John, was in Year Three. Incredibly, that was back in 2006 when it was just a junior school. Since then, in amongst the phonemes, semicolons, fractions and percentages, I have helped with school productions from Macbeth to Peter Pan and accompanied school trips from Hampton Court to the Menin Gate. And the best part of it all has undoubtedly been encouraging and supporting hundreds of children to be the best they can be.

It has been wonderfully fulfilling being a member of the St Stephen’s family. I first joined as a parent twenty years ago with my eldest daughter Ellen, but I started working here after a girl I looked after at Orleans Infant School transferred to St Stephen’s. I was lucky enough to come to St Stephen's too and support her through junior school. Over fifteen years later, just last month, I bumped into her again. We both recognised each other immediately. She is now twenty three and has grown into a lovely, confident, positive young woman who told me all about her love for her work in child care and her hopes to be a teacher. To be a small part in helping to shape the lives of these amazing children has been a great privilege.

What makes St Stephen’s so unique is its sense of community. Being able to work with and learn from such a lovely bunch of inspirational colleagues has been a joy. I will miss everybody that makes St Stephen’s School all that it is, so much. Although I look forward to following the future success of the school from slightly further afar, I will certainly be popping in to say hello and see everyone as often as you’ll have me!

Lots of love,

Miss Pidg x

Liz Bachour: Alison has it all - she is highly skilled in all areas of teaching. A very clever lady, she has made a huge impact on so many children over the years. She is always there when something needs completing and represents everything that is caring about St Stephen's. Kind, gentle and positive​, Alison is a lovely person! We will miss her so much, her contribution to life at St Stephen's has been fantastic. Good luck Alison.

Grace Mizon: Since I joined St. Stephen's eight years ago, I have been beyond privileged to work alongside Ms Pidg every week in Year Six. I really hit the jackpot when I landed a role working in Year Six with her!

Humble, measured, warm-hearted and a devotion to the children like no other is how I think of Alison. She has, every week, without fail, brightened my day when she's entered the room, never failing to give the very best book and theatre recommendations and even better advice and support whenever it's needed to myself and the children.

I can't think of how words can ever explain how much empathy, gentleness and care Alison gives to every single child who she works with. The same can most definitely be said about how she works with her colleagues too. We are all so incredibly lucky to have her as part of our St. Stephen's family and I hope that she looks back on her time here with fondness and happiness. I know that I certainly will!

So Ms Pidg, thank you. For the love, the guidance, the joy and the kindness that you have given to me so selflessly over the last eight years. I am a better teacher and a better person because of you. Without doubt, I am SO proud to call you my friend. I hope that your remarkable, gorgeous, compassionate and irreplaceable self enjoys the next chapter of what life holds for you and that it is full of love, happiness and adventures with all those who are lucky enough to know you.

Three cheers to Ms Pidg, the undisputed, understated legend of St. Stephen's!xx

Karen Raymonde: Miss Pidg is truly one of the most wonderful people I have ever had the honour of working with. Many moons ago, she and I taught together in Year Six and I think back so fondly of that time, as I really loved working with her. Yes, we worked very hard but we always managed to have fun at the same time.

Fantastic with the kids, Mrs Pidg would always go the extra mile to achieve the best for those in her care, both academically and pastorally. The children quickly warmed to her and learned to trust her as they recognized that she was wholly on their side.

Miss P is a real team player and the care and support that she gave the children was also given to me. The consummate professional, she would often go home and do an extra piece of research so that we were able to answer tricky, Year Six-type questions that may have arisen during the course of the school day! With Mrs Pidg, I always felt that the responsibility for the children’s attainment in the SATs was not solely on my shoulders. What a legend.

Alison, I wish you every luck in this new phase of life. The school will be the poorer in your absence, but it’s about time you put yourself first! Thank you for everything that you have done for me. I am truly grateful and proud to count you as a real friend.

Aaron Downes: To the one and only Miss P!

It will be hard to walk in and not see you each Monday morning and wonder what your long weekend had entailed, as they always had some sort of funny drama that you told in your unique and brilliant way! You are a true legend and we’ll miss you dearly. Have fun in your next chapter & enjoy it!! Xx

Lisa Novell: I have known Alison as a parent and then as a colleague for more than sixteen years now. Sixteen years ago, her lovely middle child, Grace, was in my Year Five class - 5B. I got married in this year and invited my class to the wedding ceremony at St Stephen’s Church - I was delighted that Alison and Grace attended, as I was very fond of Grace and Alison was a lovely parent to have - always supportive and calm. When I got to know her as a colleague, I was constantly blown away by her depth of knowledge, especially with literature. She and Miss Rainey set up a book club for Year Six a few years ago and I honestly could not think of two more qualified people for the job! When I worked in Year Six, teaching grammar and RE, I was always relieved when Alison was ‘gifted’ to me! Always the professional, her pragmatic and calm approach always meant I, and the children, were fully supported. Hugely popular with the children, it is easy to see why. She exudes calm and patience with a good dose of humour! Wishing you all the best in your next venture Alison and St. Stephen’s will be all the poorer for losing such an amazing TA!

Sarah Cooper: It is not going to be the same without you here. I have loved working with you and am so grateful for the support and advice you have given to me. I am really going to miss you but this is not goodbye it is just au revoir. Love Scoop xx

Bryn Hunt: It has been such a pleasure to work with Mrs Pidg! She was always the gentle force of all knowledge for me. It was always a joy to have a great conversation with her and work through different tasks together. I will miss working with her and seeing her smiling face every day! It is hard to sum up how wonderful she is in a few short sentences.

Shelagh Coutts: I have many happy memories of going on Year Six Journey with Alison. We had many conversations about books and I am happy to say that this has continued after we left St Stephen's, as we are in the same Book Club. Alison also shared her enthusiasm with Year Six, when she ran a bookclub with Miss Rainey.

Karen Norton: I have known Alison for many years, first as a parent, when our children were at St Stephen's together, then later as a colleague in school. Alison was so welcoming, friendly and always helpful to me as a colleague; as she has been to countless other staff members and the many children and families she has worked with over the years. She will be missed at school but I will still see her as a friend and in my yoga classes! Good luck Alison for the future.

Sarah Foot: Alison is always the calm voice of reason to work with and has endless amounts of patience. I am lucky that I still get to see Alison out of school but wish her luck for the future.

Hedy Harrison: I've really enjoyed working with Alison and getting to know her over the years. She's always been so kind and supportive to both colleagues and the children. I will miss her wisdom and support but am so pleased I will continue to see her at yoga.

Maggie Libura: I'll really miss working with Alison. She is a wonderful, calming influence and always has time for everyone.

Sherralyn Rainey: Alison - We have known each other for more than twenty years! First as fellow parents, when our eldest children, your Ellen and my Louis, were in the same year at Orleans Infant School and then St Stephen's. We are also bookclub cronies and latterly, for the past fifteen years, we've been work colleagues. Our bookclub experiences even led us to run our very own Year Six bookclub which was so much fun. But, most of all, you're a lovely friend. You're fantastically supportive and kind; the best listener to children and colleagues and a compassionate troubleshooter.

Professionally, you are a superb teacher. Your attention to detail is legendary (if anyone needs to take a lesson in putting up displays, they need to knock on your door)! Miss Mizon and I always laugh with you when you kindly adjust our display efforts, never directly telling us it isn't quite up to your fabulous high standards, but quietly redoing it when we have left the room. Ha ha.

However, your real skill at school is in plugging the gaps in children's knowledge and boosting their confidence to believe they can do it. I have heard you say so many times to a beaming child who has just grasped a new concept "Yes, you've done it! Well done, I knew you could do it." They literally walk away feeling so much better about themselves and your pride and job satisfaction shines through. It has been wonderful to observe. Teaching children is all about making small steps and SMART goals and nobody exemplifies that more than you. Good luck lovely chum, we will miss you. You have made such a difference to so many children's learning journeys, you should be very proud of yourself. We all are. Lots of love xx