Pat Sterne, a former headteacher of special needs schools in Manchester and London and later a Labour councillor in Chiswick, west London, has died aged 91. Her family confirmed the death, which occurred in a care home in Manchester.
Early life and education
Born in Birmingham, Pat was the elder daughter of Elsie (née Rann), who worked at the Lucas Electrics factory, and John Cutler, an insurance agent. She recalled emerging from an air raid shelter to see the distant glow of bombing over Coventry and remembered her father returning injured from wartime service.
Pat earned a place at King Edward’s grammar school, where her mischievous spirit was already evident – she confided that she sneaked into the neighbouring boys’ school early one morning to conceal kippers underneath their desks. She went on to study sociology at Bedford College, London.
Teaching career and special needs leadership
In 1958 she married Michael Sterne, and they had three children. Pat trained as a teacher at Sheffield University and taught reception classes in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. One of her many mottoes was “all children deserve the best”. She worked incredibly hard to nurture and value each child, ensuring that each pupil was praised, rewarded and had their work displayed. She spent evenings practising the piano for assemblies.
Pat naturally gravitated towards special needs education, becoming a headteacher at schools for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties – first Southern Cross School in Manchester, and then at North Croft School in Hammersmith, west London.
Public service and family life
Upon retirement in 1993, Pat was elected her ward’s first Labour councillor, representing Chiswick Homefields on Hounslow borough council from 1994 until 2002. She volunteered for Age Concern Chiswick and was still arranging excursions and activities for the “old people” well into her 80s. She travelled widely and obtained an advanced scuba diving qualification.
Pat’s commitment to her public roles was eclipsed only by her devotion to her family. Her children and grandchildren adored her. She was a fantastic companion in a garden or an art gallery; she noticed beautiful details in flowers and paintings.
Final years and legacy
In her final year she got stuck into the social life of her care home in Manchester. She attended every organised singsong (and led impromptu choruses from her armchair), shared her ice-cream with the resident cat and cajoled everyone into a game of cards. Those who knew her will miss her kindness, intelligence and superhuman optimism.
Michael died in 2015. Pat is survived by her children, Jonathan, Abigail and Gabriel, grandchildren, Max, Kit, Emily, Ben, Daniel, Ellie, Stanley, Anna and me, and great-granddaughter, Naomi, and by her sister, Janet.
