HEADTEACHER Paul Burrowbridge has taken early retirement after a career which included a successful experiment as head of two merged village schools.

On Friday pupils, teachers and parents gathered to say farewell to Mr Burrowbridge, who became head of Lockeridge School in 1985 and was subsequently appointed head of Wiltshire's first federated school, the Kennet Valley Federated School, in 1991.

The former Lockeridge and East Kennett schools were federated when it became clear that one of them would have to close because, at the time, they were considered too small to remain independent.

Education chiefs decided that, rather than having to handle an onslaught of opposition to the closing of one of the schools, they would keep both open but merge them.

On Friday, governors chairman Jane Butler said that under Mr Burrowbridge's direction the school had become a success which the Kennet Valley villages were proud of.

Mrs Butler said: "Paul has made it an extremely caring place. He has seen a lot of changes in education since he started and he has accepted all of these but never lost sight of what it's all about, bringing up children in a happy and successful environment."

Mr Burrowbridge, who lives in Lockeridge, said he took the opportunity for early retirement because being a village school head had required a seven day a week commitment. However, he added: "It is a fantastic job and I have always enjoyed it. The only reason I am going is because of the weekends and evening work."

Mr Burrowbridge said visitors often came to Kennet Valley from other education authorities, including from as far away as Northern Ireland, to see how the combined schools worked.

He said: "After coming here to see what we do, they have gone away and set up their own federated schools. Some have put three or even four small schools together."

Mr Burrowbridge, a father of two, started his teaching career at a Shropshire market town primary school and taught at Cherhill and Bromham before becoming head at Lockeridge.

At an emotional farewell ceremony, Mr Burrowbridge received a garden bench from the governors, a pair of binoculars from his teaching colleagues, a cheque from parents and friends and a special cake and a record of his attendance from the pupils. The children also made their own memory books with recollections of his teaching.

The children sang some of the songs they learned for last year's celebration of the tenth anniversary of the merger of the two schools.