A POPULAR village primary school headteacher has been named as this year’s winner of the Peasedown St John Community Civic Award.

Founded by local charity the Peasedown Community Trust, the award honours and recognises the village’s unsung heroes.

It is presented to an individual each year who has gone above and beyond to make a difference in other people’s lives in the village and to serve the wider community.

At a packed school assembly on Friday (June 5) at Peasedown St John Primary School with children, parents, and staff present, Cllr Karen Walker surprised headteacher Ruth Noall by naming her as this year’s recipient of the award.

Peasedown’s Bath and North East Somerset CllrKaren Walker said: “We were pleased to award Ruth Noall with this year’s Peasedown St John Community Civic Award.

“Ruth has gone ‘above and beyond’ in her role as Peasedown St John Primary School headteacher over the last couple of years.

“Under her leadership the school has been turned around.

“Standards are rising, children are excelling, and she has created an educational environment that the wider community has become incredibly proud of.

“Well done, Ruth.

“We are all very proud of you and grateful for all you do for the school and the wider community.”

After the surprise presentation, Ms Noall said: “This is such an incredible honour and I am still processing it.

“Leading Peasedown St John Primary School over the last three and a bit years has been a real privilege, but not without a lot of hard work.

“It means a great deal to be recognised for that by our local community, thank you to everybody who voted.”

The Peasedown St John Community Civic Award was created in 2021 as the successor award to the Sara Holley Community Award, which had been awarded from 2011 for 10 years.