Long-serving head at The Beeches Primary School retires after teaching career spanning 38 years

The headteacher of The Beeches Primary School, Tim Smith, has given his last assembly.

Mr Smith, who has been the headteacher of the city centre school for more than 21 years, told the Peterborough Telegraph it was “an incredible privilege” to have been at the helm for so long.

The 60-year-old said his stewardship had been made easier by the fact he had been “well supported by community and governors” all throughout his spell.

A teacher for more than 38 years, Mr Smith started his career at St Ives in 1984.

He subsequently moved to Gladstone Primary School and then on to Woodston Primary School, where he took up his first head teacher position.

Mr Smith says he “has faced it all” throughout a career of “incredible highs and lows.”

“I’ve faced fire, plague and pestilence,” he says, laughing: “but nothing beats the dreadful phone call I received in the middle of the night about 15 years ago saying ‘your school’s burned down.’

However, Mr Smith is quick to highlight the fact that the highs easily outnumber the lows.

"It is the pure satisfaction of seeing children go on to do well, he says, that is the most rewarding aspect of teaching.

“Above everything, it’s when you see young people come back and say ‘yeah, it all started for me here’.”

Mr Smith – who is married to a headteacher – says he plans to continue working in casual advisory/consultation roles.

However, he is looking to take a long holiday beforehand:

“In the autumn term, when my colleagues are back at work, I will be ‘off-grid’,” he says, wryly.

The proud headteacher has been touched by the number of former pupils who have dropped by to wish him well.

He thinks it’s “lovely” that some of his former charges are now parents who send their own children to The Beeches.

He believes much of the school’s success can be attributed to the culture he and his colleagues have established at the school.

“The conditions that we’ve put in place here: safe, happy and challenging with lots of opportunities – and with great teachers; all put together it creates perfect conditions for children doing well.”