A retired teacher who taught at Deal and Dover schools has fondly remembered her career after being recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Christine Eyden, of Sholden Bank, off Mongeham Road, Deal, was made an MBE for services to education.

She said: “It has been hard keeping it quiet for these past five weeks.”

The former primary teacher and deputy head teacher was recognised for her length of service in education after being nominated by her daughter.

Her 51-year career started at Shatterlocks Infant School in Dover in 1962 aged 20.

She worked there for five years then she married and moved to Staffordshire where she continued to teach for a couple of years before having two children.

Mrs Eyden continued as a supply teacher and moved back to Deal in 1972, working as a supply teacher at North Deal Infants in Northwall Road.

She took a job at Warden House in 1974 before being appointed in 1976 as deputy head at North Deal Infants where she was acting head teacher for two years.

The school merged with the Methodist School in 1988 creating what is now known as Sandown Community Primary School.

She retired from there in 1996 and has worked as a supply teacher since, finishing in July last year at Charlton Primary in Barton Road, Dover.

She said: “I have seen so many changes in my time as a teacher but the children never change.

“There is a lot more liaison now between parents and teachers.

“ Before it was a case of parents stood at the gates and the teachers were inside and never the two trains did meet.

“Some of the highlights are when you teach little children and you do phonics with them for six months and suddenly they realise they can read. It’s such a fantastic feeling.”

On receiving the news about her MBE, she said: “I was absolutely amazed.

“There are so many brilliant teachers out there and all I have done is do the job for a long time.

“I see so many of my pupils and then I see their children.

“The most important thing is making a child happy so they enjoy school,” she said.

• Anthony McGregor Condon, the assistant leader for the 15th Dover scouts was awarded a British Empire Medal for his services to the young people and community in Dover.