AN ‘INSPIRATIONAL’ headteacher whose stellar career has spanned more than three decades will retire next week.

Alison Ashworth-Taylor, who has been executive head at Blackburn’s The Redeemer Primary School for 15 years, will end her 34-year teaching career on Tuesday.

During her time at the Ewood school she has led them to two ‘outstanding’ Ofsted ratings, a national award for excellence in teaching ICT and been named honorary lay canon of Blackburn Cathedral for services to education.

The 55-year-old’s career was celebrated by more than 1,000 people, including colleagues, parents and children, during a surprise party at the Jack Walker Way school for ‘Old Alison Taylor’ (OAT) day last Friday.

She said: “It’s just been a fantastic career right the way through. There have been challenges along the way but I think this school having two ‘outstanding’ Ofsted grades and being able to open the first Primary Teaching School in Blackburn with Darwen have been the highlights.”

Lancashire Telegraph:

Deputy head teacher Mark Power, who has worked with Mrs Ashworth-Taylor since 2004, described her as ‘St Alison of Ewood’.

Mrs Ashworth-Taylor, of Oswaldtwistle, started teaching at Blackburn’s St Matthew’s Primary School in 1985 after getting a bachelor of education degree at St Martin’s College, Lancaster, between 1981 and 1985.

In 1989 the mum-of-two moved to Cedars Primary School, Blackburn, where she became deputy head and 11 years later she rose the ranks again to become headteacher at Blackburn’s Hawthorns Junior School.

She started at The Redeemer in 2004 when the new school opened. It was made up of students and staff from Blackburn’s former St Andrew's Primary School and St Bartholomew’s. They had both shut shortly before the opening. One had been put under special measures.

Lancashire Telegraph:

When The Redeemer opened, the school had just 187 pupils but now there are more than 400 students. All of this took place under Mrs Ashworth-Taylor’s watch, who was also been named head teacher of the year in Lancashire.

Parent Dawn Langley, who has known Mrs Ashworth-Taylor since her eight-year-old daughter, India, joined the school, was one of several people who read out speeches on the day in tribute to her.

The 43-year-old said: “She is everything to this school. It will feel very empty and hollow without her."

Mr Power, 51, also from Oswaldtwistle, added: “She is charismatic and inspirational to students and staff.

“At the heart of any school has to be somebody to develop, push, energise and coerce. That’s what Alison has done well.”