Success-filled farewell for school headteacher

On Thursday evening, parents, teachers and local dignitaries came together at the Basingstoke secondary school in Popley to recognise the hard work of the students at the annual Celebration of Achievement awards.

It's the final time the awards ceremony will be held at the school. In September, John Hunt will be renamed Everest Community College and will move from its current location in Popley Way to a new £26.8million state-of-the-art site on the Merton Rise development.

The prize-giving event - compered by head girl Zoe Vickers and head boy Matthew Selfe - was deemed a huge success.

Certificates and prizes were presented to students in all years who had excelled in specific subjects or areas during the last academic year.

Students who had provided important services to the school and families who had participated in school learning programmes were also recognised.

The event was particularly poignant for headteacher Lesley Phillipson. Mrs Phillipson, who was appearing at her final prize-giving event on the eve of her retirement as the school's head and was given a standing ovation, praised the students for their hard work and contribution to school and community life.

"This event is the highlight of the academic year and a celebration of our achievements," she said. "We are all here to say well done. We are all very proud of you."

She continued: "Our children aspire to achieve the best results and become rounded responsible citizens, confident to move on and take their part in society. Skills needed to be good citizens are often overlooked or taken for granted.

"This is a very special evening, the last prize-giving on this site, and it has been a privilege for me to be your headteacher. I have enjoyed my time here enormously. I'm going to go away with memories I will remember for the rest of my life. I look forward to seeing the new Everest Community College flourish."

Councillor Paul Harvey, former chairman of the board of governors and former leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, who was among the guests presenting prizes, told the packed school sports hall: "John Hunt is an exceptionally special school and there will be a lot more to be celebrated in the new school.

"It has been an amazing experience being a governor at this school. The students are not only enthusiastic - they do Popley proud in every sense and are champions of the community.

"The success of the students is what this evening is about and I wish you and John Hunt every success in the future."

On Friday afternoon, a surprise farewell party was organised by the students for Mrs Phillipson, who is taking early retirement at the age of 55.

All the children and staff gathered in the sports hall to present cards, flowers, chocolates and presents to the popular teacher, who took over as head in January 2001.

Just before the school bell rang to signal the end of her time at John Hunt, an emotional Mrs Phillipson took to the stage for the final time to thank students and staff for all they had done.

Struggling to hold back the tears, she said: "I do not know what to say. I'm absolutely gobsmacked, I really am. I really feel quite overwhelmed. I do not think I will get to the end of this speech without crying."

She continued: "To be a headteacher is the best job in the world - just what you have done for me actually proves it.

"I will take away fantastic memories of this school. You are special - do not allow people to put you down. You can rise to the greatest heights. I know you can.

"What you have done is to make the ending of my career very special indeed and I would just like to say an enormous thank you.

"I'm going to be keeping an eye on a lot of you from a distance. I know that people are going to be keeping me informed about how well you are doing and I will watch your chart to the top with great interest.

"You are going to have some fantastic things in the new school and you and the population of Popley deserve it."