Long Bennington Primary School teacher retires after 30 years of teaching

An adored primary school teacher has retired after 30 years teaching youngsters at the same village school.

Judith Crowson, 59, joined Long Bennington Primary School as a teacher in 1991. She went on to teach children across the majority of year groups and relished her role as maths lead.

Staff and pupils presented her with gifts during a leavers service, including a book from the children, before she was guest of honour at an afternoon tea party with current and former staff.

Despite looking forward to the next chapter, Judith will cherish the fond memories she has made throughout her time at the school.

She said: “I will miss being able to inspire the children. I was recently contacted by one parent whose son had graduated with a maths degree and he’d told her that I was the first person to have made him believe in maths.”

Judith is now looking forward to putting her feet up a bit more before becoming a grandmother for the first time in October.

She said: “I have spent half of my life at the school and taught generations of children, and so life will be very different. I just want to say a huge thank you to all the families who have made me feel so very welcome over the years. It has been a joy.”

Judith hopes to spend more time in her garden during retirement but also had plans to travel the coast of Great Britain.

Teacher Rachel Mills has worked alongside Judith for 18 years, said: “She is a fantastic teacher and is loved and adored by staff and pupils alike. She is devoted to the children she has taught and even long after they have left our school she has kept records of what they have gone on to do.

“She has kept in contact with families for years after their children were in her class, quite simply there is no teacher like her, she is one in a million.

“Judith has dedicated 30 years of her life to our school and she will be greatly missed but staff, pupils and families past and present.”