A SURPRISE celebration assembly was held in Crowcombe Village Hall last Friday to mark the retirement of long-serving headteacher Anthea Deane.

Children, parents, staff and governors were among those who gathered at the hall to wish Mrs Deane well in her new job as manager of Halsway Manor folk centre.

Mrs Deane had been headteacher at Crowcombe Primary School for nearly ten years and was head at Stogumber Primary School for nearly four years following the successful federation of the two schools.

In a statement, staff from the two schools said Mrs Deane had been a major influence in keeping the schools at the forefront of the many changes that had taken place in recent years.

It said: "At every level she has ensured that the children and their educational/social development were central to the decision making process.

"She played a fundamental role in overseeing federation of Crowcombe and Stogumber First Schools and their subsequent transition to primary school status.

"The children are now able to stay on until year six, having fully completed their key stage two and move on to secondary school."

Children from both schools were at the assembly and performed a variety of songs and other entertainment.

Mrs Deane was also presented with numerous gifts, including a garden seat, trees, plants, garden ornaments and a patchwork quilt which incorporated hand prints made by all the children from the school.

But she will not be moving far from the school, just a few miles down the road at Halsway Manor National Centre for Traditional Folk Music and Dance.

Both she and her husband Deryck have been keen followers of the folk scene for many years.

Photo: Steve Guscott