HEADTEACHER Frank Havard will be waving a fond farewell to staff and pupils at The Hollins Technology College when he retires later this year.

After 10 years as headteacher and five as deputy head at the school he is looking forward to having more time to himself.

Mr Havard, 56, said he has seen many changes during his teaching career, which started in 1969, including more pressure on schools to find outside funding and the introduction of technology such as computers.

He said: "I think it's been a period of enormous change and increasing expectations upon schools and I think that the quality of education provided now is by far the best that we have ever seen."

"But schools nowadays have to look for extra funding from outside, we have to put ourselves out and about to promote ourselves and put bids together. Headteachers spend a lot of time in their offices doing those sorts of things."

"A lot of people think the role of a headteacher is walking down the corridors swishing the cane but you spend a lot of time pushing paper."

Mr Havard said he has enjoyed his teaching career and will take away many happy memories of his time at The Hollins. He said: "I will miss the children and the camaraderie of the staff. Over the years I have made some good friends. I have had the pleasure to be with some very gifted professionals."

"The reasons for going now are that I've had 10 years as Head. The school was in an ailing position when I came here and now every year group is full and we are over-subscribed, the results this summer will be the best they have ever been and we have had a really good Ofsted report. It is an ideal time for a new headteacher to take over and take it to the next stage of development."

"I am looking forward to getting some personal time back, I have a grandson who is the light of my life and I am looking forward to having the opportunity to spend more quality time with him."

"I also want to travel and it will be nice to be able to have holidays outside of the school holidays."

Mr Havard has recently undertaken Ofsted training and is looking into the possibility of doing some consultancy work with schools on leadership and management after he retires.

He lives in Blackburn with his wife Jean, who recently retired as headteacher of Sherwood County Primary School, and has a grown- up son Christopher, who is married to Debbie and has a two-year-old son Elijah.

  • Taking over the reins from Mr Havard will be Mark Jackson, who is currently deputy headteacher at Fearns Community High School, Stacksteads.

Mr Jackson, 40, who lives in Preston, is married to Elizabeth and has three children, Emma, 21, Ben, 14, and Alex, 10.

He said: "I am really looking forward to it. I have just started to meet the staff and pupils and I am very impressed with what I have seen so far."

"I am quite fortunate to be coming to a school, which has recently had a good Ofsted report giving it a clean bill of health."