Liz Noble is stepping down after a teaching career spanning over a third of a century in Huddersfield.

Liz, 60, has been headteacher of Hinchliffe Mill Junior and Infant School for the last 14 years.

She has lived in Meltham all her life, attending Holme Valley High School as a girl, and has spent 35 of the last 38 years teaching in Kirklees.

She began her teaching career at the former Linthwaite Church School before teaching for 14 years at Scholes Junior and Infant School, Holmfirth, venturing out of the district to Horbury for three years before arriving as head at Hinchliffe Mill in 2001.

During that time she has not only overseen great improvements at the 115-pupil village school, but she and the school have helped other struggling schools. Hinchliffe Mill was a School Improvement Partner and Liz was and still is a local Leader of Education.

“I am very proud of the progress the school has made over the years,” she said. “It has been transformed from a Victorian heap to a school fit for the 21st century. We have a fantastic staff here and great support from parents and the community.”

The school’s last Ofsted report earlier this year stated: “The headteacher is an exceptional role model who inspires the whole school community.”

Liz was particularly disappointed that Ofsted downgraded Hinchliffe Mill from Outstanding to Good, but said: “The report reads exceedingly well and the school is better now than it has ever been – better than when we got Outstanding; Ofsted is changing.

“I have enjoyed being part of this community and knowing all the parents and their children, some of whom I have known since they were born.

“When I came here I wanted to be able to continue teaching, which I have done, because you get to know the children better and how they learn.

“Huddersfield and its surrounding areas is a beautiful place, our playground has one of the best views, and the people are so nice.

“One of the biggest satisfactions is seeing the ex-pupils succeed in their own way and make their own lives and hoping that I have made a difference.”

Liz and her husband will be spending more time at their second home in France.

Deputy head Rebecca Townsend is taking over as headteacher in September.