STILL Game star Jane McCarry has gone to the top of the class after landing a teaching job at an Inverclyde school.

The TV favourite, who played infamous gossip Isa in the hit show, says it is a dream come true to be working in Craigmarloch School, Port Glasgow.

Jane, 50, is no stranger to the area, having starred alongside Mark Cox - aka Craiglang character Tam Mullen - at the Beacon's annual pantomime for many years.

Jane said: "I love Inverclyde.

"Every year I look forward to working with Pauline Kane and the team at the Beacon and being in the rehearsal rooms upstairs and watching the ships sail up and down.

"It's a beautiful wee theatre to play."

The Glasgow actress says she has always juggled her acting career with teaching and is now thrilled to be working at Craigmarloch with additional support needs pupils.

She said: "I've been a secondary teacher for 20 years and have been in and out of schools all the time, until Covid came.

"I've always done both to survive."

It was through Marie Byrne, who is a chaperone during the panto and whose husband David works at the school, that she found out about the vacancy.

Jane said: "Marie told me there was a supply job at Craigmarloch.

"She told me it was a wonderful school and that I would love it here."

Jane has worked in complex needs schools before, as well as in mainstream education.

She says she received a very warm welcome from staff and pupils.

Jane said: "Lots of kids know me as Isa but also know me as a bad witch from the Beacon pantomime!

"Some ask me questions about being on TV and the panto.

Glasgow Times:

"I am having great fun here with the staff and pupils.

"All the staff are so lovely and they work as a team."

Asked what Jack and Victor would make of her teaching job, she joked: "I think they would say: 'poor weans, having to listen to Isa'!"

With this year's panto off, Jane is preparing for Inverclyde Christmas - a film which is being produced to make up for the lack of a festive stage show this year because of the pandemic.

Craigmarloch head George Walker says that Jane has a wealth of experience in working with young people with additional support needs and that 'having a celebrity' in the school had given given everyone a bit of a boost.

Jane said: "Whatever job you do, panto, Still Game, or teaching, it's important to have have a laugh and smile every day.

"It's so important to enjoy what you do."