Chronicle January 2021

37 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Linda Churcher

What is your role at Teddies and how long have you been here? I’m the Matron of one of our new co-ed Houses, Cooper Lodge. I’ve worked at Teddies for 33 years in total, starting when I was just 13. I worked five nights a week as a servery assistant (wearing a frilly blue hat and frilly apron – I cringe at the thought!), and my little brown envelope at the end of the week contained about £20. What did you do at Teddies before this role? I worked in the Catering Department in recent years and doubled up as a floating house Matron to provide cover when needed. What are the biggest changes you notice in the school environment over the past few decades? When I began working at Teddies all those years ago, it was a different school. We had just introduced co-education. The servery was actually in the Dining Hall, which was full of large wooden tables and benches. I remember having to feed the pigs who lived over on Field Side. I swam in the mosaic swimming pool, which is now beneath The North Wall, and I witnessed the painting of the large Wind in the Willows mural in the Dining Hall. The School has become a huge part of my life and watching it grow with modern boarding Houses and new buildings has been very special. What’s a typical day for you in Cooper Lodge? A typical morning is encountering a room full of pupils who all need things before lessons begin, all clamouring for my attention! They could be looking for phones, medication, laundry, the house shop or just a quick chat. My job is to make sure they have everything they need, look smart, know what they’re doing and feel good. Once the pupils have gone off to lessons, I start checking their rooms, making appointments, answering emails and phone calls from parents and staff – no two days are the same. The pupils come and go all day so my job is to make sure there are always plenty of smiles and biscuits. What are the essential skills for a Matron? You have to have empathy in a job like this, and the ability to communicate with pupils and staff on a professional and social level. Listening is at the heart of the role. What may seem trivial to one pupil is very important to another – patience and understanding go a long way. Having good instincts and being able to read a situation are vital. Mix this up with a whole lot of multitasking, whilst still smiling and laughing, and you have a modern day Mary Poppins.