Heads bow out after almost 30 years at the helm

Two headteachers are set to retire from their posts on the same day, having run schools in Wolverhampton for a combined total of 29 years.

Close pals Mary Keelan of Our Lady & St Chad Catholic Sports College and Deirdre Finucane of St Edmunds Catholic Academy on Compton Road West, will step down on September 1.

Ms Keelan, aged 63, spent 25 years at Our Lady & St Chad Catholic Sports College having previously worked at the school as deputy head.

She said she felt it was time to hand over the reigns with the school being in 'a very good position'.

"I have had a wonderful career here and I feel the time is right to hand over the baton.

"The school is blessed with an excellent teaching staff and I am safe in the knowlege that very adept leaders will be taking my place."

She will be replaced as head by Miss Toni Ellis, an existing tutor at the school with a sports background.

Ms Keelan's retirement was marked with a special mass held at St Anthony's Church in Wolverhampton, on June 26.

She was presented with a gift of four rose bushes spelling out her name and a bouquet of flowers from former pupils.

Ms Finucane, who is from Claregate, took up the headship of St Edmunds in 2000 after leaving her previous post as a deputy head at a school in London.

The 63-year-old was instrumental in guiding the school through the transition period into becoming an academy, which also involved the school upping sticks to a new site in Compton.

Ms Finucane said one of the highlights of her career came in September 2012 when Olympic Bronze Gymnastics Champion and former pupil, Kristian Thomas, returned to the school to present awards to the most successful students.

She said she was pleased to be handing the school over to her Vice Principal of seven years. "Mrs Hughes will lead the school with distinction and a unique combination of humour, groundedness and intelligence.

"I am sure St Edmund's will continue to grow under her leadership," she added.

Last week the pair attended a ceremony at Oscott College where they were presented with the Ubi caritas medal - which is awarded each year to headteachers retiring from Catholic schools - by Bernard Longley, the Archbishop of Birmingham.

Ms Keelan said: "It was a great honour for us to receive recognition for our work.

"I know we will both miss our roles once we finish, particularly spending time with our fantastic pupils."

Both schools were rated as good in their most recent Ofsted inspections.