Farewell to Margaret Sargent at Alderman Jacobs School

It has been quite a sad week for me, having attended four different events at Alderman Jacobs School to say farewell to Margaret Sargent who has been headteacher there for 16 years.  I have been a Governor for 15 years at AJS and for most of that time I have been Chairman, so I have seen first hand the great work Margaret has done over this period.

Alderman Jacobs School has always delivered for our children, Margaret took that to a whole new level, delivering a school for Whittlesey that has high results, high aspirations and a great team of staff.  It is easy to point to an inspection rating and say a school is outstanding, my belief is that AJS is outstanding in every sense and not just in the more limited view that OfStEd takes of education - and Margaret Sargent is the main reason for that.

I am pleased to say that the school did a great job in saying farewell, on Monday we unveiled a plaque which names the new extension to the dining hall after Margaret (and whoever thought of "Sargent's Mess" it was a stroke of genius).  Yesterday the staff put on a special assembly for Margaret (and I shall not say what my role was in that!!).  I know Margaret enjoyed the assembly and the children absolutely loved it.

I cannot say enough how much Margaret has done for AJS and indeed for Whittlesey, and I wish her many happy travel filled days in the future.