IT WAS an emotional end of term for headteacher Linda Lee as she left Petersfield Infant School after 13 years at the helm.

Staff and children held a special leaving assembly where each class presented her with a card and sung her favourite songs.

The pupils at the school in St Peter’s Road also helped make up a ‘Headteacher’s Survival Kit’ and read her a poem about retirement.

The assembly was also attended by governors and members of the parents’ association.

On her last day (Friday, December 16) she was being treated to a tea party for a hundred guests who have known Linda (62) throughout her long career in Hampshire.

Since taking over at the school in St Peter’s Road in 2004, there have been two ‘outstanding’ Ofsted reports, in 2005 and 2008. Her aim, she said, was always to create a ‘happy’ school where children developed a love of learning and enjoyed life.

“Hopefully we have achieved that here,” she said. “It will be very hard to leave the school as it’s been such a passion of mine to work with young people so long. I shall miss everyone very much but I shall be back to visit.

She praised her “fantastic” team, who have taken the school from strength to strength, including deputy headteacher Allyson Crew, who is to become the new headteacher.

Allyson said: “We have given Linda the send-off she deserves. She has had a huge impact on our school and we will all really miss her.”

Linda plans to travel with her husband Ian, and to spend more time with her three young grand-daughters.