"Father" says goodbye (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

"Father" says goodbye

7:28pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

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ANDY and Cate Perry are known to all and sundry as the mother and father of St Joseph's School in Malmesbury.

But when the summer term ends, so will a jobsharing partnership that has lasted 15 years.

Mr Perry will say goodbye to the couple's current year six class and prepare to take over as head of St Katherine's Primary in Marlborough - where he will be splitting the task with one of his ex-pupils.

The couple, who came to the school in 2007, started sharing their work 15 years ago when their son Arthur was born. Keen not to lose Mrs Perry, the head teacher at St Dunstan's in Calne suggested the scheme.

It worked so well they continued it when they moved to St Joseph's, where they are now the longest serving teachers.

Mr Perry, whose wife will be staying, told the Standard: "It is going to be quite a big break for us not to jobshare. Cate says it is a bit like a divorce.

"It is a lovely team here and it is going to be very difficult to leave."

But he added: "I think I can go with a clear conscience because the school has just had a cracking good Ofsted."

Head teacher Tony McAteer paid tribute to his colleague.

"I am delighted for him because I think he deserves a headship," he said. "But it is going to be a great loss to St Joseph's. He contributes such a lot.

"He is totally passionate about education and he has been a real strength to the school."

Mr Perry has already made several visits to his new school in the Savernake Forest before he takes up the reins alongside Nicky Jones, who was one of his pupils at St John's Secondary School in Marlborough.

Meanwhile a new teacher is being appointed to share the teaching with Mrs Perry.

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