'I will miss three things: The questions, the fun and telling stories!'

JUNIOR school teacher Jo Loraine has retired at the same time as her youngest child Max completes his education at Dame Allan’s Schools.

A much-loved and admired teacher, who first joined the Junior School in 1996 when it was located at the Senior Schools’ site in Fenham, Mrs Loraine said she had enjoyed a ‘very fulfilling career’.

Reflecting on her retirement, she said: “There are three things I will miss… the first being questions. It is wonderful to experience pupils engrossed in a subject and hungry to know more; questions stimulate learning and stir the imagination. 

“Secondly, I’ll miss all the fun and laughter around school! I‘ve found Dame Allan's to be such a happy place, one where I hold many fond memories. The final thing I will miss is telling so many stories, from tales of adventure to funny stories I’ve made up on the spot. I would encourage everyone not only to read books, but to tell stories, especially for young minds to enjoy.”

Mrs Loraine left Dame Allan’s in 1999 to have a family, and returned in 2006, a few years before the Junior School and Nursery relocated to its purpose-built site on Hunter’s Moor. Her three children  James, 23,  Juliette, 22, and Max, 18, have all attended the Schools, with her youngest sitting his A Levels this summer.

Having recently travelled to the Rocky Mountains, in Canada, Mrs Loraine said the future holds ‘adventures’ for her. “I’d really like to travel more, while also continuing to learn how to play golf and reawakening my passion for painting,” she said.

“I’ve had a very fulfilling career alongside supportive, enthusiastic and talented colleagues at Dame Allan’s, and feel ready to retire and enjoy time with my husband Clive, family and friends.”