Maristine Valerie Taylor (left in 1986) has worked in publicity for nearly 14 years, specialising in children's television. We spoke to her about the Marist and her role in launching one of the most popular and successful children's television programmes to date, the Teletubbies.

Q. What are your happiest memories of your time at the Marist?
A. The friendships I made, the atmosphere and the school itself. I never really appreciated, when I was at the Marist, how lucky we were to go to a school with such lovely grounds and surroundings.

Q. What were your favourite subjects at school?
A. English with the amazing Mrs Cutting. She was a brilliant teacher who brought English literature to life. I can still recite by heart the opening lines to Twelfth Night, which we studied for English O-level. I will never forget the day that she arranged for France Berry, one of the poets we were studying at A-level, to come and give us a reading.

Q. What is the most important lesson you learnt?
A. The bond that spending 7 years in each other's company brings. Even though our year left in 1986 we still meet every few years or so for a reunion with around 20 to 30 girls turning up. Being an all-girls school we were encouraged that we could do or be whatever we wanted and that I think has made us all aim higher.

Q. What are the key traits needed to become a publicist?
A. The perfect publicist is a good at writing, outgoing, with good contacts and an eye for a good story. However, you can be stronger in some areas than others. You need to like reading newspapers and magazines, have a creative streak and be prepared to work long hours.

Q. Finally, how do you feel about launching one of the most popular and successful children's television programmes to date?
A. I am immensely proud of the work I did on the Teletubbies. It was a groundbreaking show, there had never been anything like it before and, because of this, the press went crazy over it. Working on the series was a huge learning curve and I am thrilled to be associated with this global phenomenon.