This afternoon David Dickinson, Dirk Gilleard and I attended the headteachers retirement celebration event at the Civic Hall...

It was wonderful to spend some time saying thank you to these brilliant colleagues who have dedicated their professional lives to children, families and communities here in Leeds. Their personal files tell such powerful stories of passion, commitment, enthusiasm and hard work amounting to an extraordinary 211 years of headship experience and 522 years of service to children and their families. Sadly some colleagues were unable to attend the celebration and we will be ensuring that we thank these colleagues before they leave us.

The colleagues who joined us this afternoon were:

• Juliet Agar from Farsley Springbank Primary School;
• Tim Bean from Great Preston CE Primary School;
• Liz Benfield from Iveson Primary School;
• Roger Bumby from Poole CE Primary School;
• Kathryn Carter from Holy Rosary and St Anne's Catholic Primary School;
• Su Edwards from Raynville Primary School;
• Alan Key from Abbey Grange CE High School;
• Bernadette King from Mount St Mary's Catholic High School;
• Jean Lumb from Ninelands Primary School;
• Alan Scott from Brownhill Primary School;
• Alan Toothill from Broadgate Primary School;
• James Vincent from The Whartons Primary School.

The colleagues who weren't there but whose work we must also recognise:

• Kay Crellin from Templenewsam Halton Primary School;
• Liz Talmadge from the Central Leeds Learning Federation;
• Lynne Gillions from Manston St James CE Primary School.

It was great that Cllr Jane Dowson, Lead Member for Learning and Schools, joined us at the end of the celebration to thank colleagues on behalf of the Council and the people of Leeds. These colleagues have touched lives and changed lives over the last forty odd years and they will all be missed by us all.

Chris