A TEACHER who was only initially appointed on a temporary basis but ended up staying at a school for 28 years has said an emotional goodbye to her second home.

Linda Dean, headteacher of Cambridge Primary School in Cambridge Street, Barrow, retired from her role on Thursday, with pupils and staff putting on a moving assembly to say thank you and wish her a fond farewell.

Mrs Dean has been teaching for more than 40 years and her first role in Barrow was at Victoria Junior School before she moved on to Cambridge Primary School.

The 63-year-old hopes to spend more time gardening and walking during her retirement but says she will miss the community feel of life at Cambridge immensely.

Mrs Dean, who lives in Kirkby, said: "I'm sad but very happy because the children and the staff have done some lovely presents and tributes.

"I started at Cambridge in January 1988 when I came as a temporary appointment for two terms and have been here ever since, apart from two short times when I worked at other schools while still based here.

"My memories of being here as a teacher and headteacher are all about the pupils, the parents, the staff, the community."

Asked what she will miss most about coming into school each morning, Mrs Dean said: "I think the sense of belonging because most schools are like a giant family.

"You have got a combination of the responsibility and the constant activity of so many different things."

Over the years, Mrs Dean has seen Cambridge grow and develop, building a fun and engaging atmosphere in class, developing a lively curriculum and ensuring pupils were competent readers and writers by the time they left for secondary school. 

The long teaching service also means Mrs Dean has seen some major changes to the education system over time.

She said: "I started teaching in Barrow in 1974 so the changes in education are significant from virtually bare classrooms with a few books, to technology and expectations being very different.

"The opportunities we now are able to offer our children are amazing in contrast to the traditional lessons, but it's always been about the development of children."