Headteacher Denise Crosier to retire from Filey school; she also spent 24 years at East Ayton School

Mrs Denise Crosier joined what is now Filey Church of England Nursery and Infants Academy in 2011.

“I love my job and I could keep going, but I want to be able to enjoy my retirement,” said Mrs Crosier, who has two grown-up daughters including one in Australia.

Mrs Crosier said she is proud of Filey Church of England Nursery and Infants Academy. “It’s a family school at the heart of the community,” she said.

“We’re a church school with close links to St John’s parish and we have a fantastic staff team. Not just teachers, we all support each other, everyone’s very committed and always there’s a sense of fun. It’s a welcoming, homely place to be.

“For the children’s perspective, I’m pleased at the high level of engagement between parents and carers, staff and children that goes beyond the curriculum. We talk about everyone’s roles in society – whether academic or not – and the value of self-esteem. We teach economic literacy and we have reading clubs with parents and family learning two mornings a week.”

The school’s activities aren’t confined to its buildings either, “We fundraise and are closely involved with the community. There’s the Butterfly Project where our Year two's weekly visit and interact with residents with dementia; and we work with local businesses promoting the Nativity boxes and Easter gardens made by the children.

“In terms of drama, we work with Stephen Joseph Theatre where plays written by our children have been performed by West End actors and we’ve even put on our own opera at the Evron Centre.”

It’s a long way since 1976, when Mrs Crosier began her teaching in Tuxford, Nottinghamshire. She went on to work in an inner city school in Sheffield, schools in the Yorkshire Wolds before a spell as a supply teacher in many North Yorkshire schools as she brought up her own children.

One of the schools she went to, East Ayton, was supposed to be for a fortnight but Mrs Crosier ended up staying for 24 years.

In retirement, Mrs Crosier will continue her love of gardening and with her husband plans to spend more time on her sailing yacht in the Netherlands.

“It will be lovely to have more time for my hobbies,” she said.

Mrs Crosier may also still find time to support education in a consultancy capacity for Ebor Academy Trust. Her school is one of currently 22 schools in Ebor.

Governors will work closely with Ebor Academy Trust to recruit a new headteacher for September and the process will begin soon.