A longstanding head teacher - who served a Marlow primary school for a decade - bid an emotional farewell to staff and pupils last week as she headed in to retirement.

Karol Whittington joined Burford School in Marlow Bottom in 2006 and since then has seen it flourish under her watchful eye.

However after 38 years of teaching she decided it was time to pursue other interests so made the tough decision to retire, officially leaving the primary school last Thursday (March 24).

Teachers and pupils honoured the popular head during their end of term assembly where she was sat on a throne and treated to a performance of Chesney Hawkes’ “One and Only” by the children.

Mrs Whittington, who lives in Fulmer, said: “It was so emotional I got so upset. I am very lucky to have had the chance to work at such a lovely school. The parents, governors and the 420 children are fantastic.

“They bought me some beautiful presents then afterwards I had a big party at Coopers. It really was a great send off.”

Burford has welcomed a number of significant changes over the past 10 years, including the expansion of the school hall to accommodate twice the amount of pupils since the school opened in 1972.

And the site has been adapted with disabled children in mind, after a number of children with disabilities joined the school in the last decade.

Mrs Whittington continued: “The school has changed a lot since I last started. All of the changes I made make me proud to have taught at such a high performing school.

“I installed security gates after I started. The school was just out in the open and anyone could have gotten in. It caused some controversy among residents who thought I was trying to keep people out but the safety of the children is always paramount.”

Photography courses, theatre trips and National Trust visits are just a few of the things the retired head hopes to do with her newly found free time.

She continued: “There is a lot I want to do with my life because with teaching it is such a time consuming job. We have to put so much work in in the evenings and at weekends we don’t get the time to do an awful lot else.

“I feel privileged to work with such amazing staff and parents. I am so lucky to have taught at somewhere like Burford. Teaching is my life and it is a brilliant place to work.”

The school will now be left in the hands of deputy head Ian Garner, who will move Burford "onwards and upwards" according to Mrs Whittington.