FROM the school corridors to sailing on the Welsh coast there is quite a difference for retiring head teacher Jon Sharples.

For today, Friday, he takes his final assembly at Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School where he has led for the past 13 years.

And during his time in charge the 59-year-old has seen the school convert to a Church of England School, become a specialist music school and help launch the UK arm of an international leadership programme for young people.

But first things first will be the goodbyes.

He said: “It’s going to be an emotional time. I have invested so much of my life in this school.

“I’m really proud of the school, the children and the staff. It’s a fantastic place and it will be quite a wrench to say goodbye.”

Jon, who has been teaching for 37 years, has overseen the school’s greater role in the community it serves during his tenure.

“We wanted to make the school more into a community school. It was quite inward facing and the building of the ball hall and opening up the school fields to football teams and archery clubs helped.

“One of the big features of the community role now is the annual music festival Boteler Out Loud.

“I think a school should be a resource for the community after its primary use to educate children.”

Jon will remain in charge until GCSE results day next month when he then hands over the role to his current deputy Bev Scott-Heron.

And then as well as spending more time with his Liverpool based family and taking up sailing.

He will also be looking to spend more time on Hoby UK - a leadership programme for young people he started up at the school in 2007.

“I’m going to continue taking Hoby forward now I should have the time to develop it more fully.

“It’s got to the stage some of the young people who first took part are helping me run the programme in a senior level.

“One of the first people to go through is now going on to study for her phd and she is still involved.“ But first he will be taking to the sea in a catamaran in Anglesey first for his summer break.