Teacher Romilda

Scannelli has gone to the top of the class after being awarded an OBE. Sue Bishop reports.

She ended last

term as plain Miss

Scannelli. Now top teacher Romilda Scannelli has come back to school with an OBE after her name.

Pupils and staff are

celebrating her award in the New Year Honours List and starting the new term getting used to the idea that Miss is now an OBE.

Romilda, 38, who teaches maths at Uplands Community College, in Wadhurst near Crowborough, said: "The kids think it is great. They are very chuffed.

"I've had lots of comments like, 'Miss, do we have to bow to you now?' and 'Do we call you lady or lord?'. I've told them I'm still plain Miss Scannelli."

The OBE, for services to teaching, marks an unforgettable year for Romilda,

who was named national

secondary school Teacher of the Year last summer.

The latest accolade is a testimony to her skill as a teacher in enthusing children of all ages and abilities with her love of maths.

And it is a sign, at last, of official recognition of the value of teachers and the hugely important job they do.

Romilda, nicknamed 'Smiley Scannelli' by her pupils, brims with enthusiasm and aims to make maths fun, putting boring tables to rap rhythms and coming up

with ridiculous rhymes to remember dull equations.

She works to inspire confidence in the subject in every single pupil and her classes consistently achieve outstanding results. In her most recent batch of A-level results 18 out of 23 students achieved A grades and

at GCSE the college's

head teacher, David James, said her students on average made a grade higher than expected.

Romilda is always in school by 7am, often earlier, and rarely leaves before 7pm, spending time preparing lessons and giving extra individual help to pupils.

But the award-winning teacher, who is the daughter of an Italian plasterer, is modest about her achievements and just wishes all the fuss would die down.

She said: "Getting the OBE is wonderful, but I never for one moment expected it. I won one award last year and that really was enough.

"I know the OBE is in my name, but I like to think I am accepting it on behalf of the school and all the teachers I work with.

"I think it is also raising the profile of teachers and showing that teachers are important. Usually it is the bigwigs in education doing worthy things who get

honours. It is good to see the work of teachers on the ground being recognised. There are an awful lot of very committed teachers around.

"Everyone has been great, but now I just want to get back to normal."

But students and

colleagues refuse to let Romilda play down her

talents.

When pupils,

parents and staff were asked to come up with names for the school's nomination for teacher of the year, Romilda was the overwhelming choice.

Uplands head David James said: "Romilda is special and everyone is thrilled for her. One of her pupils says she is a teacher who won't let you fail, even if you want to, and that sums her up. She has this determination which people respect.

"She has such an effervescent personality that a subject which sometimes people think of as dull comes alive.

"Her infectious enthusiasm and permanent smile reflect her genuine care for each student.

"I am delighted that a classroom teacher has been recognised with such an honour."

Sixth-former Aileen

Barrass, 17, from Ticehurst, said: "Miss Scannelli is just brilliant. She is better than anyone else.

"She has more than 24 hours in a day because if anybody wants extra help she will just give it to them, even if it takes hours."

Maria Flanagan, 18, from Crowborough, said: "She treats us as equals and she puts us before anyone else.

"She will always put her students before meetings or visitors."

Hannah Culver, 17, from Five Ashes, said: "She explains maths in a way we can relate to and makes it easy to understand. We enjoy it, otherwise we wouldn't be doing A-levels."

Romilda, whose partner, Craig, is also a teacher, lives in Rotherfield. She said: "I am a bit silly sometimes.

"I try to come up with anecdotes, ridiculous stories or rap songs to explain things. I think the kids sometimes wonder what planet I am on, but it helps them to remember."

She grew up in Reading, the oldest of seven children. At school she was always good at maths, but never top of the class.

She said: "I always enjoyed maths, but I didn't shine at it.

"It seemed to come easy to everyone else but I had to work at it, and I think that has helped me see things from my pupils' point of view."

After school, Romilda wanted a career working with people and it came down to a choice between nursing or teaching.

Her first job was at a school in Bognor, and after stints working in Kuwait and Oxford she returned to Sussex eight years ago to join Uplands Community College.

She has turned down promotion and the chance to become head of maths because it would mean spending more time on administration and less in the classroom.

She would not contemplate moving out of teachingfor a better paid job in industry.

Romilda said: "I'm lucky, I love what I do. Teaching takes over your life.

"You never feel you've made it, there is always more you can do.

"My dream is to be a very good teacher and I am working towards that. I am not there yet."

Her boss disagrees. Mr James said: "She is already the best."

With a passion for maths, and sharing similar interests in DIY and gardening, Romilda is used to jokes and comparisons with TV numbers queen Carol Vorderman.

But sixth-former Peter Randall, 17, from Withyham, said: "She's much smarter than Carol Vorderman!"

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