Headmistress of The Queen’s School in Chester announces her intention to retire in 2010.

Jun 25 2009 by Jo Henwood, Chester Chronicle

A “SUPERB” Chester headteacher has announced her retirement.

Catherine Buckley, headmistress of The Queen’s School, has informed governors of her intention to step down in August 2010.

Chairman of governors Liz Lunn said: “Catherine has made an absolutely outstanding contribution to the development of the school and she is a hard act to follow. She has been superb.”

Catherine Buckley joined the girls’ independent school on City Walls Road in 2001 from The King’s School in Macclesfield where she was head of the girls’ division.

She said: “There has not been one day when I have not been delighted to come to work.”

Educated at Dame Allan’s School in Newcastle, she read Modern Languages at St Hugh’s College, Oxford.

Her interest in languages was behind the decision to introduce Mandarin Chinese to the curriculum at the Queen’s School, which has since attained prestigious Confucius Classroom status.

She plans to take up Spanish and improve her Mandrain when she finally leaves teaching.

Asked about her greatest achievement at the school, she said: “I think it would be the development and expansion of the pastoral care system.

“The staff here are always open to change and very often take the initiative on new projects.”

Recent developments at the school include a new swimming pool at the Lower School on Liverpool Road, which was opened by Olympian Sharron Davies.