All Saints RC primary school in Warrington, Wigan, has added another name to its list of worshipful personages, that of admin officer Denise Whelan

According to All Saints headteacher Lisa Morgan, Denise does such a good job that she has been unofficially beatified. “Saint Denise is her nickname, and for good reason. Denise is the salt of the earth; one of the kindest, most caring people you could meet,” says Mrs Morgan, who nominated Denise for our chocolate, champagne and flowers.

“Denise treats everyone as if they are the most important person in the world. She is friendly and warm-hearted; no one has ever seen her being grumpy. She is always enthusiastic and happy.”

Whether you are a child with a bumped head, a parent with a problem, a stressed-out member of staff or the man who’s come to fix the boiler, Denise is always ready with a cup of tea or a kind word.

“Her administration skills are renowned throughout the authority; other schools often ring to ask for her advice.”

Her only weakness, apparently, is chocolate. And she’s very fond of Cliff Richard and Donny Osmond, who both beam down from posters on her office wall. “I’ve told her it’s a performance management target to take them down, but they’re still there,” laughs Mrs Morgan.

When she can drag herself away from Cliff and Donny, Denise likes to get involved in classroom activities, giving children a leg up with their reading, and is planning to start a school Scrabble club.

Her loyalty to the school runs deep - she has worked there for 12 years, both her children were pupils there and her husband is a governor.

“Denise is utterly efficient and thorough,” says Mrs Morgan. “She is the heart of our school.”

Is there an unsung hero in your school? Tell Sarah Bayliss, TESFriday editor, about him or her at the address opposite. Flowers kindly supplied by Marks Spencer