Head announces retirement

The head of an independent school has announced her retirement.

Julia Burns, head of Leicester High School for Girls, in London Road, for the past 10 years, announced her retirement to parents and staff yesterday.

She will be leaving in July, at the end of the academic year.

Mrs Burns, 59, steered the school through a major £3.5 million extension programme in 2010-11, which greatly improved science, languages, art and food preparation facilities.

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She has been a passionate advocate of single-sex education and believed in offering pupils opportunities to widen their experience and build their confidence.

In addition, she aimed for academic excellence and leaves the school in a year when the A-level results are among the highest in the East Midlands.

She said: "After 38 years of teaching, I feel this is the right time to pursue other educational interests.

"It's been a privilege to see young girls grow, learn and develop into young women and achieve success in the world."

She will continue to work with the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) as an inspector and hoped to take on more governance and possibly study for an MA in history.

Mrs Burns said: "I'm always telling the girls it's important to keep on learning and take risks, so I too will take on new challenges in the future."

Margaret Bowler, chairman of governors, said: "It is with mixed feelings I received Julia's news.

"She has achieved so much for the school and we will miss her leadership and commitment.

"We have started to look at the recruitment of a successor and I intend to maintain the high academic standards we have here."