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Black Country headteacher retires after 18 years

She has taken charge of changes including the opening of a new day care centre and overseen a huge expansion.

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But after 18 years as headteacher at Moat Farm Infant School Helen Barlow is stepping down.

Having been in the teaching profession for 37 years, including time as a headteacher at Guns Village Infant School, Miss Barlow is now retiring.

Yesterday the children held a special assembly for her, with each of her forms singing her a different song, including one called We Are Leaving to the tune of We Are Sailing.

Baggies fan Miss Barlow, 58 and from West Bromwich, said: "I think my proudest moment is seeing all the children achieving.

"You see children move on and you see how much they have grown and developed and learnt, and that for me is a really proud moment.

"It's a lovely experience, seeing how much they do develop.

"I've got a lot of happy memories of activities we've done, fun things with the children, and it's been a lovely time.

"I can honestly say it's been a privilege to be here."

Recently Miss Barlow has been overseeing an expansion to Moat Farm, on Brookfields Road in Oldbury, that will see it become a four-form entry school, and it will welcome an extra 30 students from September.

During her time there the school also opened a day nursery, which looks after babies from as young as six weeks old.

Miss Barlow is now planning to spend more time with family and walking, and in August she will be getting married.

She added: "I'm looking forward to it, but I and quite sad at the thought of leaving.

"You obviously have mixed emotions - you are very sad to leave your colleagues that you've worked with for such a long time, but I'm looking forward to moving on and starting the next phase of my life."

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