Long-serving teacher retires after almost 30 years in the same Ribble Valley classroom

A dedicated and much-loved teacher who 'touched the lives of hundreds of children and their families' has said farewell to a village school where she taught for nearly three decades.
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Mrs Carol Perry is retiring after 38 years as a teacher, 27 of which were at Chatburn C of E Primary School in the same classroom. Of course, every year was different – none more so than this one!

Speaking of her teaching career, Mrs Perry (59) said: "I’ve had a very happy time at this cherished school. The children and staff are a big family who I have had the pleasure of serving and working alongside. I would like to think I’ve given my very best to and brought out the best in every child I’ve taught.

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"I would like to say a big thank you to my colleagues and the school governors for their support, as well as to parents for the many, lovely messages I received since they learnt of my retirement.”

Mrs Carol Perry on her last day at schoolMrs Carol Perry on her last day at school
Mrs Carol Perry on her last day at school

After attending Ribblesdale Secondary School, Mrs Perry graduated from Manchester University and taught at a secondary school before having a family. She then moved onto teach science at Grindleton School before joining the team at Chatburn in 1993.

Speaking about her last day in the classroom, she said: "I had a lovely, but emotional last day with the key worker children who were in school in the morning, and then celebrated with my colleagues in the afternoon.

"Headteacher, Mrs Gardiner, had arranged for the children to send in e-mails and video clips with lovely messages and my family (who would normally have been here) also sent video clips – so not our ‘normal’ end of year at Chatburn, but I was delighted for my retirement to be marked."

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Emma Gardiner, headteacher at Chatburn CE Primary School said, " Mrs Perry has been a much loved member of the Chatburn family and has touched the lives of hundreds of children and their families. She will be sadly missed, but we all wish her a long and happy retirement."

Retirement will see her pursuing her interests in archaeology, walking and travelling.

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