An era has come to an end at Kirkby Stephen Primary School with the retirement after nearly 14 years of its popular headteacher.
Lynne Wade, of Outhgill, Mallerstang, became head of the primary school at Easter, 2008, before which she had been the head at Morland Primary School for six years.
“The school has really changed. It’s grown in size — we have got nearly 240 children here now compared to 186 when I started,” said Lynne.
In 2017, following a community fundraising effort which netted nearly £80,000 in three months, a new classroom was built by Upper Eden-based contractor Jason Winder.
“In my time here, we have also built a library and have started our own nursery after the Little Stars pre-school closed and there wasn’t any other provision in the town,” said Mrs Wade.
The school has also just had a running track installed on its field.
Alison Capstick, who is the school’s deputy headteacher, will be acting head for two terms until summer, when the post of headteacher will be advertised.
Lynne said her colleagues had been a great team to work with and the parents and wider community had also been very supportive of the school.
“But actually it is the children that I will miss most of all,” said Lynne.
And she takes away lots of happy memories. “It’s sad that it is going to be my last Christmas. When they were singing all the songs for the Nativity, and I was thinking I won’t hear that again. It’s like the end of an era,” she said.
Lynne, who has also been the school’s special educational needs co-ordinator, added: “It’s been a privilege to be a headteacher here and know that you can make a difference to children’s lives, especially for those who are disadvantaged or need extra help and support.
“I am very proud of the school and all that we have achieved during my time here, especially the last two years which have been really challenging because of COVID.
“It has been really hard for everybody, but everybody has really worked together and done a brilliant job.”
Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, Lynne attended Sowerby Bridge Grammar School before going to the College of Ripon and York St John, from 1976 to 1979, where she gained an honours degree in art and English.
She worked at Prontaprint, in the North East, as a graphic designer before moving to Sedbergh, Cumbria, in 1981, and taking up a post as a residential social worker at Baliol School, which is for boys with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.
After four years, she joined the Cumbria County Council probation and aftercare service, in Kendal, and worked with young offenders. After gaining a post-graduate certificate in education, Lynne became a Year 2 teacher at Sedbergh Primary School in 1992.
The following year, she went to work as a teacher at Ghyllside Primary and eventually became the lower junior co-ordinator before leaving in 2000 to take up a more senior post at Brough Primary School.
After being acting headteacher at Brough, she became headteacher at Morland School in September, 2002.
In retirement, she is looking forward to travelling with her husband, Ian, reading lots of books and spending time with her family and friends.
She is also looking forward to going back to doing art, as she used to paint a lot before she became a teacher.
