A RETIRED Knutsford teacher has received a New Year’s honour MBE from the Queen for Services to Children with Special Educational Needs.

Sue Sharratt, 61, formerly head of Speech and Language Unit and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, at Bexton Primary School, was nominated for the MBE by her husband Peter for her years of dedication to the field.

A mother-of-three, Sue has been ‘incredibly dedicated’ to the children in her care and according to Emily Armstrong, Bexton head teacher, is ‘highly deserving’ of the award.

Sue said: “At Bexton it wasn’t just me. I had teams of people who were incredibly supportive. I may be getting the honour but I couldn’t have done all this on my own.

“The teaching assistants were who I was working with really closely.”

Sue has received the award due to the hard work she put in to create a ‘happy experience’ for children who were not able to fully integrate into the mainstream working environment.

During her two decades at Bexton, Sue worked closely with Gill Kenyon, educational psychologist and Alma Williamson, speech therapist, who both wrote supporting statements following Peter’s original nomination.

Following her retirement, Sue held a reunion party for those children in her care, which saw a huge number of children now in their late teens, turned up to celebrate.

Sue told the Guardian that this is what sparked Peter’s nomination.

“He said it made such an impact,” she added. “I was really pleased with how many came.I have never wanted to do anything else other than teach. I am very lucky in that respect. I have thoroughly enjoyed my job right up to the end.

“It’s a brilliant end to a career and I am so proud.”

Sue, who retired last year, spends her time volunteering for the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust, which provides holiday opportunities to disadvantaged children.

She is also a dedicated grandmother to Theo, one, and enjoys spending time with him as well as visiting her daughter Anna, 28, who is currently working in Kenya.

Emily added: “It was royally deserved. She worked hard all of her life. She has been incredibly dedicated to the children.”