Students celebrate the life of former inspirational head teacher

KINETON High School students and staff celebrated the life of former head teacher Julia Morris whose funeral and commemoration service was held on Friday, 20th January.

On her retirement in the summer of 2014, students and staff congregated on the school playing fields and marked Julia's leaving with a big group photo where they were pictured pointing towards the sky with their left hands and pointing to the top right with the right hands in the the same way Olympic gold medal hero Usain Bolt celebrates on the track.

Through a culture of honesty, openness and trust the unofficial motto of the school became ‘Top Right’, the place on a quadrant chart where you will find maximum effort and best achievement.

Julia Morris passed away, aged 62, following a brave battle with cancer on New Year’s Day after spending Christmas surrounded by her precious family.

She was a much loved and inspirational headteacher at Kineton for 12 years and was previously the special educational needs co-ordinator at Shipston High School. A book of condolences was opened and many former students and colleagues paid glowing tributes to Julia both as a professional and as a person.

A funeral service at Oakley Wood Crematorium was followed by a service of commemoration at St Peter's Church, Kineton.