A MOTHER, who prides herself on the fact that she put her family before her career, has become the most powerful woman in education in Warrington.

Hilary Tucker, who combined work, studying for two degrees, and bringing up a family, has been appointed deputy principal of Warrington Collegiate Institute.

The College has 13,500 students.

Hilary concedes that her chosen route took longer to reach the top, but is thrilled that she has had the best of both worlds.

Hilary, 50, has been married to her husband Tony for nearly 30 years. They have two boys, Ralph, 22, and Joe,14. Hilary didn't move around - the normal route to promotion in the education field - and had many years of being content with her family, her studies and a job she could handle without upsetting her domestic scene.

The family stayed in Warrington, to be near Hilary's mother and mother in law.

She has been at the Collegiate for 21 years and is one of its longest serving members.

Said Hilary: "There are good women in education, staying put, because of their families. Once you have stayed in an educational organisation for some time, people aren't interested in you. I think that is sexist. It didn't happen to me.

"The college has recognised that talented people are not necessarily people who haved moved around. For 10 years, I never sought promotion. I put my family first, and you don't make the same rapid progress."

Hilary was born in Warrington, did teacher training in Birmingham and taught at primary schools in Hadfield, Derbyshire, and Marple, before moving to Warrington.

She joined the Collegiate in l975, as a lecturer in sociology and education, on teacher training courses. She moved on to senior lecturer. When the college lost its teacher training through government rationalisation, Hilary's work diversified, taking in A level sociology and access courses, which prepare mature students for degree courses.

Hilary went on to become head of the mature student programme, then manager for the whole of the degree programme. She became Dean of the Collegiate's University College in l993.

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