A much-loved primary school headteacher was given a grand send-off after nearly 40 years in the profession.

Debra Mansfield-Clark, 57, officially departed Millbrook Combined School in High Wycombe on January 31 but returned on April 26 as part of an informal farewell which her colleagues organised.

Hundreds of people were in attendance with the educator being showered with gifts, treats and drinks.

Several tears were also spotted, as an emotional speech by Mrs Mansfield-Clark saw the former teacher and headteacher thank everyone who played a part in her career.

Bucks Free Press: A member of staff hands Debra Mansfield-Clarke a gift on April 26A member of staff hands Debra Mansfield-Clarke a gift on April 26 (Image: NQ)

She told the Free Press: “I think I could write several books about my experiences in education over the last 37 years.

“For me, Sands and Millbrook are part of an extended family.

“Because of the children I taught when I was a teacher at Sands Middle School, they have since become parents who came to Millbrook.

“We’ve also had children who now work as staff, and they have so much ambition.

“Millbrook has played such a huge part in my life, whether it’s been Millbrook or Sands and this is home from home.

Bucks Free Press: The two embraced with many people getting emotional The two embraced with many people getting emotional (Image: NQ)

“Everywhere I go, I bump into people who I have taught, their children who I have taught so to be remembered by them with a smile, in what is not the easiest of jobs, so worthwhile.

The 57-year-old began her career at a school in 1987 as a teacher, before making the move to Sands Middle School in September 1989 until she left in 2001.

During that 12-year period, Buckinghamshire changed its age of transfer from 12 to 11-years-old, which meant Year 7 students were moved out of middle schools and put into secondary schools.

This led to the creation of Millbrook, a combination of Sands Middle School and two infant schools.

And despite being at the establishment for several years, the merger meant Mrs Mansfield-Clark had to reapply for her job as deputy head.

She succeeded but departed in 2001 to become the headteacher at Ashfield School in Micklefield, before returning to Millbrook in April 2006, where she remained until this year.

When asked about why she wanted to leave, she said: “The pressure and the stress of the accountability system, Ofsted, lack of money/funding to pay for staff, recruitment, it’s so hard to recruit both teachers and support staff and it’s very challenging.

“All these worries led to a deterioration of my health as I had an unexpected stay in the cardiac unit at Wexham Park Hospital in September.

“It was then that I decided now was the time.

"I’ll be 58 in June and I had planned to work until I was 60 at least, but, sometimes things happen and it makes you reevaluate your life.

“At the moment, being a headteacher is far more difficult than it ever has been in the 20-odd years I’ve been doing it, but it’s still the best job in the world.”