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Frances rides off into the sunset


By Chris Saunderson

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Frances Wardhaugh and her trust horse.
Frances Wardhaugh and her trust horse.

HEAD teacher Frances Wardhaugh rode off into the sunset – with a pantomime horse at her side, and with a glass of milk and a wagon wheel to boot.

The popular figurehead of Mosstowie Primary, near Elgin, retired at the end of term and the pupils and staff, knowing she was a huge John Wayne fan, staged a fun theme day in honour of the Hollywood legend to give Ms Wardhaugh a day to remember.

The John Wayne Day was part of a week of sporting and outdoor activities to mark her retirement.

Staff had secretly transformed the P7 shed into a Wild West saloon, where milk and Wagon Wheels biscuits were served up.

All the youngsters and staff were dressed in cowboy and cowgirl outfits, and there was even an appearance by a panto horse.

"I knew they were having a John Wayne Day but I can’t believe the effort that has gone into it," said Ms Wardhaugh (58).

She admitted the family atmosphere at the rural school, which has 56 pupils, will be the thing she misses most following her 10 years as head teacher.

"I have always believed that you should combine learning with fun and I have thoroughly enjoyed all the fun I have had at Mosstowie," she added.

Originally from Edinburgh, she attended St Andrew’s University and then teacher training college at Craiglockhart in Edinburgh. After a brief period working outside teaching, she was unable to get a teacher’s job in the capital and came to Moray in 1982, where she started at St Sylvester’s in Elgin.

After three years she moved to New Elgin Primary where she taught for 14 years before joining Bishopmill Primary as assistant head.

After two years in that role she secured the head teacher’s job at Mosstowie where she has been for the last 10 years.


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