A POPULAR headteacher has spoken of why she has decided to retire at Christmas.

Janet Malone has been in charge of St Mary’s RC Primary School in Langho for the past five years.

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Mrs Malone, 61, said she took the decision to spend more time with her family and was missing her grandchildren grow up.

The mother-of-three and grandmother-of-six entered the profession 23 years ago and quickly rose up the ranks to become a headteacher.

Before joining the Ribble Valley school she taught at Holland Moor Primary School in Skelmersdale and St Anthony’s in Fulwood.

Mrs Malone said: “I have taken this decision as I was spending too many hours at work and I also want to spend more time with my family.

“I think it’s time for me to take a step back after 23 years in the profession.

“It would be difficult to pinpoint the best thing that has happened during the last five years at the school as there have been so many great moments.

“It has been an amazing privilege to be a teacher in the first place and to be a headteacher as well.

“Everything that I do every day is about the children and what ever happens they are what we are doing it for.

“A smile of a child can be the best thing in a person’s day.

“I’m really going to miss it but I know that this is the right time for me to go.

“Being a teacher has its challenges and they are different depending on where you are.

“There are more external pressures on teachers and what they are expected to do compared to when I first became a teacher.”

Tributes were paid to Mrs Malone by Angela Corban, chairman of governors, who said: “Mrs Malone has been with the school for five years and I know that many of our children will be sad to see her go.

“Thanks to her we now have a beautiful landscaped outside area with a special ‘reading garden’ to encourage a love of books in our children.

“Janet also loved sharing juice and biscuits every week with the gold award winners, which rewarded children for good work or behaviour.

“She had a passion for maths, and her maths club was always well attended by children who were fired by her enthusiasm for the subject.

“She has now decided to spend more time with her family, and though we’ll miss her, we all wish her the very best for the future.”

Father Leo Heakin from St Mary’s RC Church, said: “We will miss Janet and wish her all the best for the future.

“She was a valued member of the school and the community and did a lot of positive things for the school and the children.”