TRIBUTES have been paid to a much-loved Worcester teacher who worked at one of the city’s schools for more than 30 years, helping more than 1,000 pupils.

Jill Baker, who was 78, died earlier this month at The Lawns Nursing Home in Kempsey, and former colleagues from Cherry Orchard School have paid tribute to their friend.

Mark Miles, from the school, said: “Miss Jill Baker was a long-standing, well-respected member of the teaching staff at Cherry Orchard Primary School, who is fondly remembered and sadly missed. Jill started teaching at Cherry Orchard on the 1st of September 1965, teaching at the school until retiring over 30 years later, in April 1998. She saw a lot of changes at the school, including moving from its original site on Orchard Street to its current location on Timberdine Avenue in the Summer of 1982.

“When she started, the school had less than 250 children on roll, rising to over 600 on her retirement.

“Jill was well known for the successes that she had with the school’s netball team, coaching them to winning the Primary Schools’ Netball Tournament for the fourth consecutive year in 1992.”

Miss Baker was born in St John's in 1941, growing up there and attending Worcester Grammar School for Girls.

In 1960 she left Worcester to complete her teacher training in Bishop’s Stortford before returning to take up her first job at what was St John’s Girls School.

In 1965 she began her time with Cherry Orchard, remaining a popular figure there for more than 30 years.

Miss Baker’s neighbour Marcus Bolton paid tribute to his friend, saying: “She attended the 20s club for many years above the Dolphin Pub, and went on retired teacher’s holidays.

“She acted too, being part of the St John’s Players and was a member of a painting group. She turned up to the first meeting saying she would give it a go because she was told as a child she couldn’t draw.”

In addition to her career as a teacher, she was an avid follower of Worcestershire County Cricket Club, spending many hours watching games at New Road.

The Worcester News covered Miss Baker’s retirement in 1998, where she was seen surrounded by some of the hundreds of pupils she taught during her career.

It is estimated she taught more than 1,000 children in the city during her career.

Though Miss Baker was an only child and did not marry, she is greatly missed by her cousins, close friends and former colleagues. Her funeral took place on April 21 at Worcester Crematorium.