A ‘much loved and respected’ school dinner lady has been thanked after working at the same school for 40 years.

Rita Curtis, who joined Queenborough School in 1979, was presented with flowers and a ruby-themed wall art on Friday.

The 71-year-old, who lives in the town, said: “I’d like to say thank you to all the staff and children for being so wonderful, thoughtful and kind – we’ve never had a cross word.”

Mrs Curtis was a pupil at Queenborough Infant School, where Castle Connections is in Railway Terrace, before she headed to the junior school, which is now Queenborough School and Nursery.

The mother-of-two went back to the school to volunteer before being offered the dinner lady role and accepting it, aged 31.

When asked if the job had changed over the past four decades, Mrs Curtis said: “No, not really. The dinner hours have changed and some of the children go into another hall now, apart from that, nothing has changed.

“The children are absolutely wonderful, they always have been from the start, and the staff are lovely.”

"I don’t know how many more years I can go, but as long as I can, I will...” Rita Curtis

She added: “I don’t do the cooking. I look after the children when they come into the dining room, sit down and get their lunch, and then when they finish I go into the playground and help supervise. I love it – I don’t want to finish.”

Mrs Curtis said what she loved the most about her job was the friendliness of all the staff and the children. “They are a really really good bunch of children,” she said.

“They are always happy.”

She added: “I’m not even thinking about retiring. I don’t know how many more years I can go, but as long as I can, I will.”

Head teacher Barbara Conroy has thanked Mrs Curtis for her long service and commitment.

She said: “Mrs Curtis is a much-loved and respected member of staff.

“She has now worked with generations of children and is a truly valued member of the school community.”

Mrs Conroy added: “We are incredibly grateful for her 40 years of service and commitment to the school.”

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