A RETIRING headteacher has expressed how much she will miss Victoria Academy and the staff and students who made it so memorable.

Caroline Vernon has been involved in education for 25 years but has decided to step down from her role to spend more time with her new grandson.

Back in the 90's, the 56-year-old traded "photographing flying rockets and bullets" for teaching children their times tables after a complete career change from being a photographer in the Ministry of Defence.

"I went to North Walney Primary School to begin with for seven years," she said.

"I was a teacher for four years and then deputy head for three years.

"I decided to become a teacher after vowing never to become a teacher because both my parents were heads at schools, but eventually it became more of a case of something I couldn't not do.

"When I started, I just absolutely loved it."

After her time at North Walney, she took a job as headteacher at Victoria Academy where she remained for 18 years, until now.

She explained how her ambition to explore new ways of teaching avoid 'passive learning' such as reading straight from a textbook was something the staff at her new school clung to and continue to adapt as the years went on.

Praising her "fantastic staff and students", Mrs Vernon spoke of how their commitment to create more engaging ways of learning is what kept her at the school for almost two decades.

Speaking to the highlights of her career, she spoke of how many opportunities to travel – to places like Australia, the Maldives, and Romania to name just a few - to share knowledge and experience with educational projects both nationally and internationally.

In addition to that Mr Vernon said that "the community of schools in Barrow is brilliant as they have so many projects that they run together".

This togetherness led to the school being involved in one of the first combined education trusts in Furness, which has since changed to become the Furness Education Trust, which incorporates Furness Academy, Parkside Academy, and Yarlside Academy as well as Victoria Academy.

She said she won't miss the 12-hour days and the early get ups that come with being a headteacher but expressed how much she will miss her team and the students in the 'Victoria Academy family' who “have been amazing”.

"It has always been about the children for me, and it is going to be a bit strange not seeing 200 smiling faces every day I have to say," she said.

"I will just miss them all very much."

Her plan the future will be to continue her work to increase opportunities for young people in Furness and support them all the way through education through the Furness Education and Skills Partnership.

Lord Walney, former MP for Barrow, said: "It has been a privilege to see Caroline Vernon’s leadership over the years as the inspiring head of a brilliant school and as an ambassador for education across the area as the head of the Furness Education and Skills Partnership.

"I was lucky enough to be taken under Caroline’s wing as I did my teaching assistant qualification at Victoria Junior school, as it then was, as part of preparing for the Furness Future Leaders’ Academy.

"She is the kind of leader who inspires by example and with an infectious kindness and sense of purpose that lifts and sets standards for the whole school, teachers and students alike.

"As she steps down as head of Victoria Academy, we very much hope that the school’s loss is the wider education community’s gain as Caroline does even more in the months and years ahead to pursue her passion to help all local children reach their potential."