Staff Focus – Mrs Hurley

I have taught at the Junior School for 10 years now although my career started 40 years ago in Zimbabwe. 

It may seem like The Abbey is a far cry from small boarding schools in rural Africa but there are so many similarities: fun, laughter and children with a love for learning. 

Teaching is, and always has been my passion and my life’s work, and although combining it with a busy family life has been somewhat hectic, I have always put an enormous amount of energy into both delivering lessons, nurturing children and becoming involved in whole school life. 

I take pride in ensuring that every child is made to feel that they can achieve and be whatever they aspire to. In my classroom, I believe that reading, curiosity and inquiry and speaking and listening are integral to a balanced education. I will one day write a book of my many amazing, humorous, touching and completely unbelievable teaching experiences.

 I have been the Charities Coordinator at The Junior School for nine years and in that time, we have held annual Charity Afternoons in the sun, wind and rain with so many wonderful local charities benefitting from the girls’ hard work and enthusiasm. We have dressed in pyjamas and spots, as our favourite characters from books and our favourite female role models. 

Christmas cards have decorated hundreds of homes around the world with the creative illustrations from every member of the Junior School community. Harvest isn’t harvest without the food bank collection and the office and boot of my car has overflowed with festive wrapped gifts for Operation Christmas Child and Reading Family Aid. 

Although this year has been a bit more challenging and we have had to be creative in our approach, I have been so impressed with the resilience, kindness and generosity that the school community has shown. 

I do hope that we can continue to give to those in need and in doing this, teach our children empathy and the importance of paying forward. Being a teacher is so much more than reading and numbers and I hope I can pass this message on to those coming into the profession. I also hope that I have inspired, educated, nurtured and set a good example to the many, many children that I have taught and set them on the path to fulfilling and happy lives. 

Mel Hurley, Junior School

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