WHEN Louise Metherell offered to help out at a village school little did she know she would still be there more than 30 years later.

But yesterday, Mrs Metherell, Marsh Gibbon School’s headteacher for the past decade, closed the school gates for the last time as she retired.

Mother-of-two Mrs Metherell, 65, started her teaching career in Milton Keynes, but moved to the village, near Bicester, with husband Ian in 1976.

Pregnant with her first child and worried she might get bored at home, she volunteered to help out at to school.

Soon she then became a regular face, and in the late 1970s was employed as a supply teacher, both her children attended the school.

In 1989 when the National Curriculum was introduced in schools she took a permanent part time teaching job at the school.

Later she went full time, and in 2000 took on the role of acting head and a year later head teacher.

Mrs Metherell said one of the things she would miss was story time.

She said: “I will miss the children wanting to talk to me and the other thing I will miss is reading stories or telling stories to the children.

“I love telling stories and the children are so receptive to having them.”

She said she wont miss the threat of Ofsted inspections, maintenance and the red tape associated with running a school. The school achieved an ‘outstanding’ rating from Ofsted in 2007.

She said: “I think I will remember the fun we have had. I have worked with a fantastic team and we have had a lot of fun together as colleagues.

“The parents are an amazing bunch and always have been.”

With no firm plans for her retirement, she hopes to travel more, especially in the UK, and “reclaim her house”.