SCHOOL'S out for one head teacher as she prepares to retire after 12 years.
Christine Webb will be handing over leadership of The Greville Primary School in Ashtead to current deputy head Max Depree at the end of this term.
Miss Webb has been teaching in Surrey for 35 years and began at the Stonny Croft school in 1996.
Speaking about the developments in education she has seen, she said: "The huge change has been the rise of the internet.
"The children come to school now knowing computers and a lot of them end up teaching the staff. We can really learn from each other in that way."
She added that the most noticeable change at The Greville had been the increase in the number of pupils, which was 332 when she began as deputy head, compared to 460 today.
"Of course the staff has grown, which means more expertise and more experience," she said. "It also means I've had more children's names to learn and more teachers to get to know.
"One thing that has stayed with me was when a parent was looking round the school and she said, 'I really hope my daughter comes here because this school has a sense of humour'.
"I have always wanted the children to have their own personalities, so they're not squashed all the time, but also to respect boundaries."
She cited a clear highlight of her time at the school as being the most recent Ofsted report in 2010, in which inspectors awarded a "good" rating.
"It's a fabulous school," she continued. "Of course staff come and go but there's always this great relationship between them and the pupils. The children also enjoy coming in and they are delightful."
Miss Webb is now planning to spend more of her time travelling and volunteering and said she was looking forward to having more time for herself.
"I still love the job and love the school but it's just time to go. It just feels right," she added.
Her successor Mr Dupree started teaching at The Greville on the same day as Miss Webb and he has served as deputy since she was made head teacher.
"He knows the school and the children very well. I am sure it's going to carry on going from strength to strength," she said.
