A long-serving school head teacher said an emotional farewell to parents and pupils at her school’s annual prize-giving ceremony this week.

Shena Moynihan, who has been at the helm of The Highcrest Academy in High Wycombe for 15 years, is taking early retirement at the end of term to look after her elderly mother.

She took to the podium at her last-ever ‘Celebration of Excellence’ event on Wednesday, July 13 to thanks pupils, staff and parents for allowing her to “make a positive difference to the future of the children.”

She said: “I know that leaving you to look after my elderly mother is the right thing to do but that doesn’t in any way lessen my sadness.

“I believe the pupils of Highcrest are very special and I will really miss them.”

She added: “Highcrest is extremely fortunate to have pupils, staff, parents and governors who are so committed and supportive. Highcrest will be forever in my thoughts and I will miss you so much.”

Miss Moynihan joined the new Highcrest Community School in 2001 after the closure of the failing Hatters Lane School which was on the same site. Highcrest was opened as part of the Government’s Fresh Start scheme and she was its first permanent head teacher.

She later led its successful bid to become an academy and, in 2011 introduced a new admissions test at the school to ensure children of all abilities had the chance to go there.

She leaves shortly after the latest Ofsted report which rated the school ‘Good’ in all aspects.

One of the guests at the celebration of excellence was Bucks county councillor Julia Wassell, who was chair of governors when Miss Moynihan was appointed.

She said: “I interviewed her for the post and she was the outstanding candidate and was clearly very ambitious for the school. I was her chair of governors for the next eight years and she showed enormous energy, vitality and commitment. I feel massively proud of all the school’s achievements.

“Shena has shown tremendous resilience in overcoming obstacles as well as having really consistent highpoints of success.”

Head Girl Olivia Sutherland said in a speech to the audience, which included the Mayor of High Wycombe Cllr Zia Ahmed: “We can’t begin to explain how much Miss Moynihan has done for the school. She will be really missed.”