THIS week marks the end of a 15-year era for a long-serving Forest headteacher.

Mrs Alison Elliott, who has led Lakers School at Five Acres near Coleford for half of its 30-year life, said she plans to spend her retirement with her husband in Pembroke­shire.

She said: “My husband lives in Pembrokeshire so I plan to join him; no doubt we will cram in lots of travelling. I feel very emotional at the moment; it’s like leaving family.

“It has been a privilege to lead a caring organisation and it feels wonderful to be appreciated by both the staff and pupils.”

For the first time in 15 years, Mrs Elliott took a day off on Monday so as a surprise pupils and staff gathered on the school’s field to form a goodbye message.

Mrs Elliott’s personal assistant, Kate Rimell said: “We are so grateful for to her for all she has done for our school and wish her a long and happy retirement.”

Mrs Elliott announced in September she planned to retire.

Alison says that her work leading the Lakers’ team has been a pleasure: “The joy at Lakers has been in nurturing highly employable youngsters who have a sense of responsibility for their community as world citizens.

“This job has been deeply rewarding and great fun. There is no greater pleasure than to touch the future through the lives of young people.

“Their achievements are completely inspiring – schools are far more than a head teacher. People at Lakers care, the ship sails on.”

Alison, who has two masters’ degrees at distinction level in different areas of education, was honoured with the practitioner of the year award by the British Education Leadership Management and Administration Society in 2013.

This award recognised the dedication underlying her research. As a lifelong learner, Alison has learnt alongside schools in Melbourne in Australia, the Bronx in New York Tomsk in Russia and the Chinese capital Beijing, as well as encouraging students and colleagues to work in support of the Lakers sister school, Gilwatsi, in Kenya.

She says: “I never meant to be a teacher, let alone a headteacher; this just happened through a love of people, hard work and determination.”