Miss Julia Wood, who has been acting deputy headteacher at Tenby Junior Community School for the last 18 months and a teacher at the school for over 22 years, leaves the school to take up promotion in pastures new.

In May of this year, Miss Wood was offered the position of principal at a brand new school within the Nelson Group, in Doha, Qatar.

Miss Wood has taught at Tenby Juniors since leaving college in 1989, with just one year sabbatical granted to experience teaching in Canada in 2004-5.

Pupils throughout the last 24 years have benefited enormously from Miss Wood's wide range of skills, particularly in sports. Miss Wood's enthusiasm for ensuring that the pupils experienced a wide range of sporting activities has secured dedicated time for sport within the school each week; many others have joined extra curricular activities within the school.

The impact of this has seen pupils from Tenby Juniors representing the school, county and nation of Wales in football - for boys and girls, netball, cricket, rugby, tennis, swimming, bowling and golf. Lately, these experiences have included 'Hit the surf' lifesaving training and karate.

Miss Wood began her teaching career teaching in Year 3, alongside Mrs. Averil Upham, who retired two years ago after 30 years of service to the school.

Mrs. Upham mentored Miss Wood and together they became a formidable team, working to ensure the transition from infants to juniors was successful whilst moving the learning forward.

Miss Wood has taught some of the parents of children currently at the school, who remember her passion and energy.

In September 2005, Miss Wood moved to teach Year 6, nurturing the pupils ready for their next transition to secondary school. Her talents, energy and organisational skills have been used to the full within this year group with the many activities undertaken and the desire to strive for pupils to reach their full potential by the end of Key Stage 2.

Within the last two years, Miss Wood had attended a Welsh sabbatical training and had driven second language Welsh forward in the school; this year the school achieved 58 per cent Level 4s in this area which is a remarkable achievement for most of our pupils who come from English speaking backgrounds.

Alongside this, Miss Wood worked as teacher representative on the governing body and took on more management responsibilities in her pursuit for promotion. Miss Wood has also been heavily involved with the Family of Schools PESS group, organising inter-school events across the Tenby family.

Governors, staff, pupils, parents and colleagues past and present from other schools have all paid tribute to Miss Wood's remarkable career in Tenby and it is with both sadness and expectation that we end the term, knowing that she will take with her the love and appreciation for all she has achieved during the last 24 years.

The school is looking forward to setting up an international link with her school so that the professional links are maintained. Hwyl fawr Miss Wood - well done on gaining this fantastic opportunity to make a positive difference in Qatar; everyone within the school community wishes you every success in this new venture.