A DALE headteacher is retiring this month after 32 years at the same school.
Kathryn Hetherington has only ever worked at one school during her teaching career – Cockfield Primary School – and says she was destined to enter the profession from an early age.
She said: “I always wanted to be a teacher. Many in my family are teachers – both my mam and dad were teachers, although they were at secondary schools.
Ms Hetherington was so determined to realise her dream that she volunteered at her local primary school in Howden-le-Wear ahead of studying at Sunderland University.
After completing her degree, she accepted a post as a reception teacher at Cockfield in 1988.
She said: “I have taught virtually every year group since then.”
She spent several years as deputy head before taking charge of the school in 2012.
During that time teaching has been transformed.
Ms Hetherington said: “There have been lots of changes with the curriculum and the teachers’ workload. There is a lot more pressure on teachers.
“Teachers have to spend a lot more time thinking of ways to engage the children, like going on trips to broaden their horizons and trying to give them different experiences.”
A highlight of her career came when the school was ranked in the top one per cent of the country for reading, and achieved the same for mathematics the next year.
Her interest in ensuring pupils have good access to sport resulted in the school winning a mini World Cup and the school football league several times.
Ms Hetherington is particularly proud of how the school is a part of the community by inviting people into the school for events such as a Christmas fair and by taking part in events in the village such as the annual Christingle.
The school also designed and made a mining banner for the village which was blessed at the church. She said: “We have a very good relationship with the community. I have a very good relationship with the parents too because I taught a lot of them – when you see them now as mums with their children here at the school it is lovely.
“I will miss the children and the funny little stories they tell you all the time. They love coming to school. When they came back [after Covid lockdown] their faces lit up. They missed school. They are happy even though they work hard.”
In her retirement Ms Hetherington hopes to travel more, particularly to Europe, and to do more photography and gardening. She also plans to visit the school often for the Christingle and other events.
