A TEACHER who is an Anglican priest has been nominated in the Key Worker category for her outstanding work with traumatised children from war-torn countries.
Victoria Hackett, 61, who has taught for 39 years, 21 of them teaching Year 10 at Brentside High, worked in Tottenham during the riots and has been a youth worker in Haringey as well as working with refugee children across the board.
She said: “Sometimes children from war zones came with only the clothes they stood up in.
“Some had never been to school and you would have to show them what a pencil was.
“However, you don’t only work with the child, but the whole family who have come from a country where there has been torture. They are traumatised and you are picking up the pieces.
“As head of year at a school you get involved in everything, from seeing they have shoes on their feet to Christmas presents, and everything in between.
“They are the ones who value education the most and work so hard to put back into the community. It’s a privilege to do a job I love.”
She was nominated by fellow teacher Alison Bushnell who said: “Victoria goes above and beyond to make some of our more disadvantaged children feel loved and supported.
“She will ensure they get what they need to give them the best start in life and spends hours raising money and awareness for wonderful causes. She really is an inspiration and will be missed when she retires this year.”
