Former head teacher fulfils wish to return to school

A Wolverhampton care home resident has returned to the classroom to reconnect with her past career.

When the team at Care UK’s Foxland Grange, on Wergs Road, learned former head teacher Iris Turner, 89, was keen to visit the place that shaped so much of her life, they were determined to fulfil her wish.

They arranged for Iris to visit Penn Fields School, where she had worked for 28 years before retiring at 65.

Even after retiring, Iris continued to give her time to the school, volunteering every Tuesday. She ran assemblies, taught music and religious studies, and remained closely involved in school life.

During her special visit, Iris reunited with co-head teacher Nicky Payne and wellbeing mentor Vicky O’Connor, whom she helped to recruit 30 years ago. They gave Iris a tour of the school, showing her the changes they have made to support pupils with special educational needs.

Following the tour, Iris met some of the students, who surprised her with homemade biscuits and flowers.

Iris said: “It has boosted my morning to see the children and staff at Penn Fields School. It has been just wonderful to have such a lovely welcome – I feel like a celebrity!

“Coming back here, feeling the atmosphere of the school and seeing the interaction of the pupils with the teachers has filled me with confidence and joy that the support for the children is still at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

“It means the world to me that the children are being prepared for the real world.”

Iris’s experience was part of Care UK’s Wishing Tree initiative, in which each care home encourages residents to put forward their dreams, allowing them to reconnect with a past hobby or try something completely new. 

Katy Anderson, Home Manager at Foxland Grange, said: “It was great to see Iris connect with her past career. She has so much passion for teaching and has dedicated many years of her life to the profession and supporting special needs education. We just love hearing all about her memories as a head teacher.

“We understand how important it is for residents to lead fulfilling lives, and connecting Iris to her past is just one example of how we do this. Seeing the smile on her face when she visited the school was truly priceless. 

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Penn Fields School for making the visit happen. Iris couldn’t have asked for a better trip back!”

Foxland Grange provides full-time residential, dementia and nursing care, as well as short-term respite care, in a luxury environment. The home incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies, including its own café, hair and beauty salon and gardens. The building has been configured into a series of neighbourhoods to facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.