Mr Turner Retires from King’s Hawford

On the last day of Spring-Term we had a very special day to mark Mr Turner’s last day before retirement.

Mr Turner announced his retirement earlier this year and despite COVID restrictions we were determined to give him a proper King’s Hawford send off and celebrate everything he has done for our school.

Mr Turner came to King’s Hawford to take over the role as Head Teacher in 2006. During his 15 years with the school he has been extremely popular with children and parents alike as a consequence of his dedication to learning and the children’s happiness and wellbeing.

With a passion for outdoor learning and a determination to provide the children with endless opportunities to explore their interests and enjoy each and every day, he has given so much to King’s Hawford and created a sense of community that is cherished by the whole school. Mr Turner maintained very close links with the original founder of our school, Douglas Garrad, and saw himself as a guardian of Douglas’ original vision.

A pioneer of outdoor learning

During his time at the school, Mr Turner has championed a number of projects to benefit the school, including building The Barn – our multi-purpose sports and recreation hall, covering the outdoor swimming pool to create an indoor pool that can be used throughout the year, the introduction of several outdoor classrooms, our treasured library bus and much more.

As a lover of the great outdoors, Mr Turner believes that children thrive in nature and should be given as many opportunities as possible to spend time outdoors. He has ensured that outdoor learning sits at the heart of our provision, with children enjoying an extensive programme of activities to explore nature and develop valuable life skills. Lessons are also taken outside at every opportunity to promote independent thinking and to encourage curiosity.

A fond farewell

For the final day of term, the school dedicated a whole day to Mr Turner. The children were asked to come to school dressed in an outfit that would make Mr Turner smile, and enjoyed some of his favourite activities, including pancake races, treasure hunts, a talent show and much more.

Our final KH Radio of the term was a truly wonderful show dedicated to Mr Turner, and went through the archives to cover his childhood dreams, his arrival at King’s Hawford 15 years ago, and all of the amazing things he’s achieved since he’s been here.

Mr Turner also enjoyed a very special assembly at King’s Senior, where a number of former pupils shared their fond memories of their time at King’s Hawford and how Mr Turner has made an impact on them as individuals.