Head teacher Sue Moore has been talking about her plans to retire from Queen Elizabeth II High School in Peel after 24 years in the job.

Asked why she decided to step down now, Ms Moore said: ’I might have gone last year, but it wasn’t really a good time to go in the middle of a pandemic.

’Things were a bit topsy-turvy so my leadership team said "please stay on", so I stayed on another year.

She continued: ’It wasn’t a good time to leave because you don’t want to leave people [when they’re] down, if you’re a good leader that’s when you need to step up and be a leader - to lead people through so that you get them out into better times.

’And we hopefully are now through the worst of pandemic - [though we] still have to make sure that this summer works - we’re still not entirely sure, hopefully exams will go ahead.

’But certainly by next year I would have thought we’ll be more back to normal.’

She added: ’We’ve got a different set of people at the Department [of Education] now, the school’s in a really good place and I’ve got a fantastic team - really wonderful people to work with.’

Overall, Ms Moore said that it was ’time to move on, time to let someone else take over’.

Her last day at work is August 31. The vacancy is currently being advertised. Asked about her plans for retirement, the head teacher said that she was looking forward to visiting her sister who lives in France, whom she has not seen since 2019.

She also said she wants to have a bit of a break.

’I’ve got a pile of books that I want to read that I haven’t had time for, lots of friends that I want to catch up with again that I haven’t had a chance to see,’ Ms Moore said.

’And for the first time ever, I can go away on holiday in term time,’ she added.

’And I won’t be paying extortionate prices that you have to pay during the school holidays - you know, it’s the little things.’

As for what she will miss most about the job, she said it would be ’the people, easily’.

’Working with young people is a huge privilege. I’ve actually just taught a year 10 lesson, and even now I come away after having taught a group of people like that thinking "I’ll miss this", she said.

’And I have the most fantastic colleagues here’.

Ms Moore said that though she would like to remain available to support the school if she is allowed to, she added that ’what I don’t want to do is tread on the toes of my successor’.

She said that her predecessor, Harry Galbraith (who recently died) had been ’fantastic’ in this respect.

’He still lived in Peel, he could have made my life much more difficult but he did the reverse - he was so incredibly supportive,’ Ms Moore explained - saying that he would never interfere, but was always there to give advice if needed.

Prior to taking over from Mr Galbraith in 1998, Ms Moore had taught religious education, and served as deputy head at schools in London.