Popular teacher retires after dedicating 20 years to Heysham school

Julie Bowler, a teacher at Trumacar Nursery and Community Primary School, is hanging up her plimsolls and heading towards a new life of retirement after giving 20 years of service as an Early Years teacher at the school.

“Julie has been an absolute stalwart of the school and will be greatly missed as she moves onto a new phase in her life,” said Paul Slater, executive head of the school. “She has taught over a thousand children during her time as a teacher – just think of the positive impact she has had on so many young people’s lives, many of whom now have their own children…and potentially even grandchildren!”

The school is celebrating Mrs Bowler’s retirement with an assembly written by Mr Slater based around ‘This is Your Life’ covering her whole career within education, which saw her train at Charlotte Mason college in Ambleside, and work in Rochdale and Birmingham before heading to Morecambe and working first at Sandylands Primary School and then Trumacar.

“The outpouring of thanks and gratitude from staff, governors, parents and pupils has been incredible and shows just how much Julie is going to be missed by everyone," Mr Slater said.

"I am sure there will not be a dry eye in the house during the assembly, and I have to admit I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get through it without getting upset myself.

"Julie has been such an incredible person to everyone and has offered sage advice to us all, not only connected with education but also connected to life itself.”

Julie finishes at the end of this term and is looking forward to retirement with her husband Dave.

“She will be certainly be missed by all of our budding gymnasts,” said fellow teacher Chris Beckett. “Julie has been such an important part of the gymnastics and school sport right across the school and has been a significant part of our achieving the platinum School Sports Award.

"She has been central to helping us get sports visitors such as Craig Heap and Jessica Ennis-Hill to visit the school over the years and those are big shoes to fill for the next sports leader."

“We’re just not sure how she is going to fit all of the wonderful resources she has brought into school over the years back into her loft at home!” added Mr Slater, with an extremely wry grin.