A school is saying goodbye to a much-loved teacher but she will always be there in spirit – in the form of a life-sized cardboard cutout.

Karen Marco has been at Swingate Primary School in Chatham for 32 years and taught different generations of the same families.

Pupils and colleague have paid tribute to her

She retires today after 45 years in teaching and admits it is going to be an emotional last day. July 21

Earlier this week she said: "It seems a bit surreal at the moment. I don't think it will seem real until my last day when I'm handing my lanyard back and walking out the doors."

Mrs Marco has mainly taught the school's youngest Year R children but has also taught Years 1 and 2.

She is known for her love of dressing up, vivid story-telling and organising the school nativity each year.

Pupils, who were taught by Mrs Marco when they were in Year R, have been sharing their memories.

Eddie said: "When she was reading a story to us she would always make it sound like we were actually in the story rather than just listening to it."

Pixie said: "She always brightened everyone's day."

Isla added: "When I would fall over or hurt myself or if I was ever not feeling right, Mrs Marco was there to help me.

"I'm going to miss how she would always put a smile on everyone's faces."

Mrs Marco began her career in London. When she moved to Kent she taught at Barming School near Maidstone and then was a teacher at Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham, supporting young patients on the children's wards.

She said: "I love my job I have always loved my job. I wouldn't have done anything else.

"I love hoping that I will make a difference."

The 66-year-old said education has changed since she began teaching but she has always tried to make sure children are at the centre of what she does and to make learning fun.

She explained: "I think the sad thing that has changed during my career is that it is now about data, not about the children but in this school we try to always make it about the children.

"We have always prided ourselves on being a school that is child-centred, that why I have loved it so much here."

She admits one of the biggest challenges during her career was the Covid-19 pandemic when she had to switch to online teaching.

But by the sounds of it, she took it all in her stride – doing daily live lessons with her four and five-year-olds online, reading with them over video link and delivering resources such as Playdoh and weighted pencils for those that needed them.

She made sure children were kept engaged by often dressing up for lessons and setting challenges like scavenger hunts.

To the staff at Swingate, Mrs Marco is known for being the "school mum" – looking out for others and offering help and guidance.

Current nursery teacher Sam Li, who will be taking over Mrs Marco's Year R Ladybirds class in September, said: "Since I first started in 2020 she has always been there supporting me. She is like my work mummy.

"She has been here so many years and taught so many of my children's parents, they tell me lots of stories about her and how much she is loved. She is one of the legends.

"She is always so generous and kind to everyone, she will be missed so much."

The school has held two assemblies for different year groups to say goodbye to Mrs Marco. For one of them she was dressed as the Queen and sat on a throne.

She has been presented with a memory book and a life-sized cutout of herself. This is now on display in the Year R area of the school, so she will always be there.

At the 2016 Kent Top Teachers Awards, Mrs Marco won Medway Primary Teacher of the Year, as well as the overall Early Years Foundation Stage Leader of the Year for the whole of Kent.