The toilets at All Hallow’s high school in Salford weren’t always a pleasant place to be. But now that Sue Leach is on hand to keep them clean and safe, they are anything but bog standard.

Incidents of graffiti, smoking and vandalism have all but disappeared since Sue became the school’s first ever hygiene attendant. Sue, who has been a dinner lady at the school for the past 12 years, was asked if she’d like to take on the full time job in the summer, after a survey of parents and pupils showed the toilets were a problem area.

So the school spent a few pennies on smartening up the girls’ block (improvements to the boys’ toilets are next in line) and Sue was stationed outside, a small but indomitable obstacle to any potential troublemakers among the 500 pupils.

“Even though she’s only 4‘10” tall, she will stand up to any boy or girl who tries it on with her, and no one, but no one, is allowed to the toilet in lesson time without a pass from their teacher,” says deputy head Christine Moore, who nominated Sue for our flowers, chocolates and champagne.

“All schools have a problem with how toilets are supervised. You wish you didn’t, but you do get incidents going on in there,” says Christine.

Since Sue started work, the toilets have been transformed. “The children like her and respond to her. She has ensured that the toilets are a safe and pleasant area to go to and we don’t have any problems any more.”

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