A LONG-SERVING headteacher has bid an emotional farewell to a Dengie primary school.

Karen Harden has been head teacher at Southminster Primary School for the past 25 years.

A special assembly was held and every class created a personalised song or poem for Mrs Harden.

She was also presented with special cards and gifts.

Mrs Harden also presented the school will a tree for the children, which will give shade at playtimes.

She said: “I have felt privileged to have been associated with the school community for so long and I believes that I may be the longest serving headteacher in the same school [on the Dengie anyway].

“I have seen many changes during this time and one of the most notable was taking a small Infant School forward to amalgamation with the junior school in 2007.

“This brought greater continuity for the children and closer unity with St. Leonard’s Church.

“Now the time has come for me to say goodbye and I will miss the children and everyone I have worked with but know that the time is right to hand over the reins to a new leader.

“The academy of which the school is part of will most likely have its own ideas as to what this may look like. I hope that the school continues to get to becoming good in the eyes of Ofsted, but I know that it is already good in so many other aspects.”