A mum whose child attends a King's Academy school in Portsmouth has praised the efforts of one staff member who went above and beyond the call of duty. 

They are now being recognised as part of our 'thank a school superhero' initiative that shines a light on those who go the extra mile for children and young people. 

Ellie wanted to recognise the efforts of Elaine who has supported her child's wellbeing over the last few years. Ellie said:

Elaine has been sympathetic towards our unique situation and supported me when I've been struggling to deal with my child at home when they are unwell.

She makes sure I never feel bad when my child is unable to get into school. I want to say a massive thank you for everything you have done for us!

The thank a school superhero initiative encourages families to say a big thank you to school staff who have supported them in different ways. Families can write a special thank you message on the Teach Portsmouth website which will be shared with schools in June 2024.

So far, over 70 people have shared their thank you messages with Teach Portsmouth. After Ellie shared her message, we spoke to Elaine directly to see how she felt. 

Elaine was overwhelmed by the thank you message, saying how happy she felt when she recieved it from a colleague. Elaine said:

"It's an amazing feeling to be recognised for something you do every day. You don't always receive these little messages of thanks but when you do they mean everything."

The power of a thank you message shouldn't be underestimated. Ellie, who nominated Elaine, wants to encourage more families to get involved to show their gratitude.

"I think it's extremely important to recognise school staff as they give a lot of their time and energy to support children in school. They deserve to be praised for all they do."

Get ready to thank a school superhero