Former head teacher's wish to visit old school

A former headteacher has been granted a wish to visit her former school.

Iris Turner, 89, returned to Penn Fields School, in Wolverhampton, where she worked for 28 years. She retired 24 years ago.

During the visit, she was reunited with colleagues she had recruited more than 30 years ago, co‑head teacher Nicky Payne and wellbeing mentor Vicky O'Connor.

The former music and religous studies teacher now lives at Foxland Grange Care Home who helped arrange the visit. She said it had boosted her morning to see the children and staff at the school and had been given such a welcome she felt like a celebrity.

She was given a tour of the school and met some of the pupils, who presented her with gifts of homemade biscuits and flowers.

"Coming back here, feeling the atmosphere of the school and seeing the interaction of the pupils with the teachers has filled me with confidence and joy that the support for the children is still at the forefront of everyone's minds", she said.

After retiring, aged 65, she volunteered her time every Tuesday to help with running assemblies and taught music and religious studies.

Her experience was part of Care UK's Wishing Tree initiative, in which each care home encourages residents to put forward their dreams, allowing them to reconnect with a past hobby or try something completely new.

Katy Anderson, home manager at Foxland Grange Care Home, said: "It was great to see Iris connect with her past career. She has so much passion for teaching and has dedicated many years of her life to the profession and supporting special needs education. We just love hearing all about her memories as a head teacher."

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