School staff - tell me the names of your loveliest pupils.

[GladysGeorgina]

I often read on MN about names associated with “naughty’ children or unpleasant behaviour. What about the opposite? If you work in a school/ nursery what are the names of children you remember for being particularly kind or helpful or resilient or hardworking?
I particularly remember a resilient Matthew, a hardworking Susanna, a kind Harrison and a helpful Phillip. Over to you…..

Yes 😂

Savio was the best kid I ever worked with. Very responsible and mature. Met him outside school at a social event and really had to work hard to stop myself interacting with him like he was an adult friend.

Never had a bad Harry, James, Ava or Sophia.

Why 🤣🤣🤣

Girls: Ruby, Mollie, Abbie
Boys: Jack, Ben, Jamie

I've been a teacher for over 10 years and I totally get this! Some names I used to like but now always associate with "that kid"... actually mostly it's the kids with really rude/complaining parents, as I was always on eggshells around them.

Eg names I'd have to avoid include Noah and Callum and Joshua, I've taught more than one of each with difficult parents. Ditto Cameron.

Students I've liked or who have had nice parents: Issy, James, Jacob, Alex, Will, Miles.

I also taught a Charmaine once in year 8 (she'd be an adult by now) who came out with brilliant one liners and so I have fond memories of that class, but it's not a name I'd probably choose.

I taught in a high school in Turkey many years ago. I never met an Elif (girl) who was anything other than delightful, or a Baris (boy) who wasn't a right little sod in one way or another. Especially the one I found dangling another child out of a third floor window.

Loving that ds’s name has been mentioned:)

I second Reuben, Zoe and Megan as being universally lovely.

Rares
Azmi
Cheryl
Kadiatou
Ocean
Andrew
Vinnie
Betty
Luca
Prince
Amari

These are just the children that spring to mind, I was incredibly lucky in that I've been fond of pretty much every child I've taught, so the list could be very long if I thought about it for a while 😆

The kindest and most hardworking student I had was a girl named Orlagh.

I have taught two boys called Noah. They were both very cheeky and had a great sense of humor. I hope for more Noahs in the future!

Yes @Bigpaintinglittlepainting!!

I’d genuinely love to know if some names come up much more than others!

Smartest child Vincent
Nicest Suzannah
Prettiest Anjellie
Kindest Claire

I no longer work in a school, and I wasn't a teacher when I did. Also most of these children will be adults now and they went to several different schools in several different counties, so it's about as outing as saying that I have 2 legs.

Some children that stick in my memory as being lovely for various reasons (though I don't love all of the names):

Shane (funny and cheerful, loved achieving new things, had the most beautiful smile ever)
Angus (interesting thinker)
Robbie (remaining good-natured and optimistic while coping with a difficult life situation)
Sophia (interesting thinker, curious about the world)
Dean (gentle and helpful with kids much younger and smaller than himself)
Michael (good friend to one of my own DC, kind and funny)
Evie (good friend to one of my own DC, thoughtful, mature beyond her years, good at understanding and making allowances for my DC's shyness)
Carolina (interesting thinker, avid reader, not afraid to be individual)
Lauren (very kind and helpful, including to children who were not the easiest to get on with)
Two exceptionally polite and helpful Olivers.

On the flip side, I've only met two Shanices and they were both rather spiteful, and I find Harrys and Lukes both tend to be slightly bonkers, though in a nice, non-malicious way.

Do not understand the point of this thread.

Creative and ambitious- Omari
Thoughtful and perspicacious- Elena
Great all-rounder - Raisa
Paid close attention and worked really hard to get the work right - Adil
Incredibly bright - Greta
Quick witted and funny - Kier
Kind and supportive - Hana
Politically switched-on - Rachel
Confident and articulate- Luka

Bessie

I've only ever known lovely Bens.
And like a PP, I know a wonderful little Hamish.

Loveliest children I ever taught were Jinan (clever, keen sense of justice, forthright and loyal), and Oninye (hardworking but fun, focused but playful- a wonderful friend, and not hung up on society's expectations of what it is to be a girl). Alric- a kind gentle boy who saw the good in people.
I really hope they're all doing well - they'd all be older now than I was when I taught them.

To the pp who claims there is something wrong with this thread- it's full of positive statements about lovely children (who are probably now adults in many cases).

There's something unpalatable about this thread, irrespective of a well-intended sentiment.
I think that, taken with 'the other' type of thread which often pops up, highlighting the names of regular miscreants, it is so grossly predictable.

I've not got any children with names like the ones listed here in my class. I teach in an area of extreme social and economic deprivation; most of my pupils are entitled to free school meals and speak English as an additional language. They are the kindest, most respectful and hardworking children, many of whom overcome considerable barriers to attendance and learning everyday. I wouldn't post their names as am uncomfortable with posting names of actual individuals on a public forum, but just want to bring an awareness of them here.

I named 3 children I taught in the past - one with a Palestinian name, one with a Nigerian name, and one who perhaps sounds slightly more European, but was from the Caribbean.

Only if they included the surname and school name

In 1982 I taught John Smith, aged 13, at Dunstable High School..... now that would be (maybe!) a breach.

But seeing as I was a child in 1982, have never lived in the the UK & I have no idea where Dunstable is, or even if it has a high school, it's not. Same could be said for any or all of the above.

You're not the only person who gave names of children that weren't middleclass white kids - I think this poster made some assumptions herself and therefore didn't notice these - because she wasn't looking for them.

I've never worked in a school that hasn't had a large number of PPG, SEND or other indicators of additional barriers to education - all of the names I gave were of children this poster could have easily met to make her statement. I grew up as one of those children myself.

Then why are you here?!

Khadeeza, Charlotte, Emily (lots of lovely Emilys actually!), Esme, Archie, Toby, Harry

It really isn’t…the posters are using pseudonyms and giving a list of forenames…they’re hardly saying “I’m Mrs Smith and I teach at so and so, and I’ll read out the register”😂