A RETIRED police officer who spent years working in schools as the friendly face of the force has come back to the classroom as a teacher.

Sarah Ellis was a neighbourhood schools officer from 2002 in Bexhill but is now teaching after retiring from Sussex Police and getting a degree from the Open University.

She graduated in June this year in Criminology and Psychology, joining growing ranks of retirees finding new working opportunities.

Sarah, who lives in Bexhill, said: "I originally wanted to become a teacher but then I had to resit one of my A-levels, and during that time I reassessed a few things and thought I would go into the police.

"In 2002 I became a Neighbourhood Schools Officer within the police which meant that I liaised with all the local schools in my area and also delivered lessons on citizenship, personal safety, and the law. At that time a large percentage of my working day involved the delivery of lessons. "The teaching side of my role was the part that I came to enjoyed most and it reflected back to how I originally felt my working career would develop.”

Her career in the police included working in response units in Worthing, Gatwick Airport and Rye, before going part-time while she had children and then becoming a schools liaison officer.

She fitted in her Open University course in between work before retiring, persevering through her marriage breakdown and the death of her mother.

"It was quite hard and took quite a lot of dedication," she said, "and being quite strict with myself and strict with my time."

Just before her retirement in June this year after 30 years' service, Ms Ellis saw a part-time teaching job advertised at her local Bexhill College.

"The management were encouraged by the fact that I had completed my degree through the OU and gave me the job," she said.

She is now completing a teaching diploma to become a fully qualified teacher through a part time evening course, and said she is using many of the skills learned through policing.

"I was used to standing up in a classroom as a schools officer. It's slightly different now I am not wearing a uniform, but I was always there as the friendly face of the police and a lot of the students know me."