“She makes the library an exciting place to be,” says the school’s head of English, Sheila Francis, who nominated Angela for our flowers, chocolate and champagne. “There’s no one going around saying, ‘Sshh!’ There’s a certain level of noise in our library. You can go in there and concentrate on your work, but it’s a living place not a mausoleum.”

Among Angela’s many innovations are a pupils’ version of the Booker prize, special days for boys and girls and regular events such as visits from writers.

She also helped the school take part in a sponsored recitation of Wordsworth’s “Daffodils” last March to raise money for cancer charities.

“One minute you put that into her hands and the next minute the whole of Year 7 are reciting it,” says Ms Francis. “She is endlessly resourceful, cheerful and positive. Whatever you take to her, she does her very best.”

Ofsted has already given Angela’s library the thumbs-up, describing it as “excellent and well run” and noting that it is in constant use from early in the morning to long after school has finished. As well as the basket of goodies winging its way to South Yorkshire, a financial fillip would be well deserved, says Ms Francis, for her literature-loving colleague.

“Angela should really be paid like a teacher because she puts as much work in and she contributes to pupils’ learning. She’s a true professional.

“She’s a forward-thinking sort of person and not at all stuffy. She’s warm and all the pupils love her. She contributes to the positive ethos of the school and the sense of community. She’s a wonderful lady.”

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