Goodbye to head teacher (From Gazette Series)

Goodbye to head teacher

THE HEADTEACHER of Uley Primary School left on Friday after 16 years to take up a new challenge living in Austria.

Patricia Killeen joined the school as a teacher in 1984. In 1994 she took up the post as headteacher and said she has spent ten enjoyable years.

"I have been very involved with developing the school," she said. "We have had two good Ofsted reports, a new computer suite and the standard of the buildings has also improved."

She added during her time at the 100-pupil school she had got to know many families in the village.

"There have been lots of really talented children during my time here," added Mrs Killeen.

"Children have excelled across the board - not just academically but also in sporting achievements and artistic ability."

Mrs Killeen will be leaving the village to move to Vienna in Austria, where her husband moved in August to take up a post with the Atomic Energy Society.

Mrs Killeen moved from Norway to Uley in 1984 and now continues her journey in Austria.

"I will be very sad to leave the village. It has been a big part of my life. But I will take with me some very fond memories of many wonderful children.

"I am not sure if I will continue teaching. I will start by completing a computer course and learning German. But it is nice to be embarking on a new challenge and I find it keeps you refreshed."

One of Mrs Killeen's biggest achievements at the school is the introduction of an outside environmental area.

"I started the area when I was a class teacher and we rearranged it last year- -it really is a nice area for the children," she said.

Mrs Killeen's departure was marked with a special celebration organised by The Friends of Uley School and the governors.

Sam Porter, of Parliament School, Stroud, will take over as acting head at the start of the spring term.