A BARRY schoolteacher will retire to spend time with her three grandchildren having taught the same number of generations and worked for three head teachers.

Colcot primary teacher, Jane Maggs will bid farewell to pupils, colleagues and school families this Friday – after 26 years – having started out in class when blackboards were in vogue, steered through whiteboards, and juggled interactive screens.

62-year-old Jane, who herself attended St Francis Welsh-medium school as a child, arrived at Colcot in 1988.

Jane, who also became acting deputy head teacher for a time, said: “The national curriculum had just been introduced. There were big changes afoot in 1988 and there’s been changes ever since.

“The big change has been ICT, but you still need the 3 ‘R’s to be able to access the ICT.

“I have had to change, but I feel very fortunate that I have been in a profession that I have enjoyed.

“I think Colcot is a good school and I wish it every success. I will always follow what’s going on here – it’s in my bones.”

Jane said she was going to enjoy doing Yoga again and not make definite plans for occupying her retirement time.

She said: “26 years is a long time, but it doesn’t feel like this. Some of the parents have said: ‘you can’t leave’, but there’s three generations now. Retirement is a big decision, but the time is right for me now.”