THE popular headteacher of a Boston Spa school has retired from his post of more than 14 years.
St Mary’s School bade a fond farewell to Chris Ness before the Easter break, and welcomed new headteacher Jan Alexander to the role.
Chairman of Governors Paul Heaton said: “Chris has made a great contribution in all aspects of the development o
f the school. The children both like him and respect him – it’s a difficult balance to pull of but he did it very successfully.”
In his time at St Mary’s, Mr Ness has been involved with a raft of new changes, including an on-site nursery, an outdoor classroom and the introduction of a hugely popular annual residential trip to Cober Hill, near Scarborough. He will now take a part-time role as part of the inspectors’ team for the York Diocese.
Mr Heaton said: “He will definitely be missed. He has been an excellent and well respected headteacher for the school.
“But we’re pleased to have attracted Jan to join – she obviously has good primary school experience and she will be able to take the school further.”
Mrs Alexander, previously deputy and acting headteacher at Spring Bank school in Headingley, said: “It was a very contrasting school, very much an inner city school. It’s lovely to see all the fields and plants here.
“It will be challenging moving from that role, which was very much more classroom based. But one of the reasons I liked St Mary’s is it’s a the headteacher role with some teaching commitment.”
Mrs Alexander started in her new role on Monday.
Chris Ness and new headteacher Jan Alexander at St Mary's School. (2004062)
