WHEN you’re passionate about teaching but you also yearn for "The Good Life", it’s very hard to make the decision to retire from one, in order to pursue the other.

This has been the dilemma faced by Mrs Sarah Parkes, Head of School at Thorverton Church of England Primary, part of the Exe Valley Federation under Executive Head Teacher Mr John Jolliffe.

Sarah and her husband started to look for properties in West Wales last year and came upon an ideal site much quicker than they expected to.

Sarah already has a horse and a large collection of guinea pigs and is looking forward to developing her three acres and stables into a small holding.

She’s planning to have two horses and a herd of goats as well. There is a flourishing community in the Preseli hills and plenty of bridle paths and footpaths for her to explore with her family.

She will be much missed by the Thorverton school community having been Head of School for the past five years. During that time she has led the school through two very successful inspections - Ofsted and SIAMS; developed the early years’ outside area and installed play equipment; and built "The Lodge" and turned it into a lovely library for the children – replacing the old library which perched between the music room and the kitchens.

Sarah is really proud of these achievements but she has given so much more to the staff, children, parents and governors.

Well respected and trusted by all, she is well known for her sense of adventure (sometimes ending in calamity) and fun, throwing herself wholeheartedly into residential trips and taking part in water fights on Sports Days.

Combining the role of Head of School with a regular teaching commitment she has got to know each of the children really well.

When asked what she will miss about school she replied, "So much…The busy ‘hub bub’ of a productive happy school. The banter with the staff. The daily things the children do and say. They never cease to amaze me. The comradery of all the staff and governors who support the school."

When the children were asked to describe Mrs Parkes in three words they said she was happy, kind and good fun!

Mr Jolliffe said: "I have known for a while that Sarah and her family planned to move to Wales and start a new life there, I just hoped it would be a long time coming!

"She is leaving the school after one of the most challenging years the British education system has ever known but her careful, thoughtful and determined leadership has brought the school through these difficult times and she is handing over a school that is focused on children’s well-being and learning and a place where children have fun every day.

"Her focus on supporting school families has been exceptional and I know that she has had many sleepless nights thinking about the needs of the children in the school.

"Sarah once described the school as ‘A laid back school with high expectations’, which is an unusual description and one that takes real skill to achieve. Sarah however, did exactly that by carefully creating a relaxed atmosphere where the children and adults got on really well with each other but never lost sight of wanting the very best for each member of the community."

Chair of Governors, Jackie Enright praised Sarah for the enthusiasm she brought to everything, as she presented her, via Zoom, with a brand new pair of wellies and a Dick Strawbridge Self-sufficiency Manual to use during her future projects.

Just a thought, we are all wondering whether the new property in the Welsh countryside could become a residential destination for the next generation of children at Thorverton School?

New Head of School Mr Chris Holding will take up the post in the summer term. He is currently Assistant Head at Woodbury C of E Primary School.

Elly Babbedge