Headteacher Mr Staniforth Retires after 36 Years at Ashby School
26 Mar 2021
Ashby School Headteacher Geoff Staniforth retires today (26 March), after more than three decades at the school.
Geoff, who joined Ashby School as a newly-qualified craft teacher in 1985, became Headteacher in 2018.
Geoff’s first senior role was as Head of Metalwork before being appointed Head of Faculty for the arts, design and technology in 1994. He later became Director of Behaviour and Attendance and in 2010 was promoted to Deputy Headteacher. He worked under four headteachers before taking on the top job himself.
During his time at the school, Geoff was renowned for his colourful waistcoats and matching bow ties. To mark his final week, teachers and support staff surprised Geoff by turning up to work in a selection of his waistcoats from the last 30 years. The waistcoats were loaned out by Geoff’s wife, Christine, who also made them all – including a special design based on the school blazer for his final farewell.
He is pictured above with design faculty colleagues, all wearing waistcoats borrowed from Geoff's collection.
Geoff said: “I came to Ashby School because I needed a job but I quickly fell in love with the place, which is why I have never left. Ashby has lovely staff, beautiful grounds, fantastic facilities and great students.
“It was a real privilege to become Headteacher of a school where I had worked for so long and to be able to realise my own vision. But the achievement I am most proud of is teaching design skills to so many young people over the last 36 years and inspiring many of them to go on and use these skills to build successful careers.”
He was presented with numerous gifts and mementos from staff, as well as a cake in the shape of a workbench, at an outdoor, socially distanced send-off on the school lawn.