A French teacher from Bushey Heath says she was "honoured and surpised" that she received a language award.

Sally Tucker, of McKellar Close, was awarded the La Jolie Ronde's Licensee of the Year award for London and the South.

Ms Tucker, who grew up in St Albans, teaches weekly French classes to around 70 pupils during lunch times at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School and Hartsbourne Primary School.

The 48-year-old mother of three studied French at Oxford Brookes University before going on to work for the French Embassy in London. After a short break, she started teaching and now heads one of the most successful and thriving businesses under the license of La Jolie Ronde Languages for Children in the area.

Ms Tucker said: "I was really honoured and surprised that I received this award - I love doing the classes and find it very rewarding.

"The classes are extra curricular activities that parents pay for - I work four days a week and around my family, which I like."

General manager for La Jolie Ronde, Steve Baker said, "Sally has an excellent relationship with the head teachers of the schools she teaches in and has formed strong relationships with parents too.

"She has great enthusiasm for the language and her classes demonstrate a very good balance of fun and learning. Sally also has invented some brilliant games to reinforce pupil learning and it is evident that the children clearly enjoy their classes.

"She is a shining example of what can be achieved as a licensee with La Jolie Ronde."