Headteacher touched the lives of thousands

Jan Myers passed away at her home on her 57th birthday after having bravely fought an inoperable brain tumour for more than two years.

Her funeral service at St Thomas a'Becket Church in Pagham on January 14 was attended by more than 300 people.

Jan had been a dedicated, much-respected and loved teacher in the Bognor area since 1983.

She qualified as a teacher at West Midlands College of Education in Walsall ten years earlier and started her teaching career at Stoke Infants School close to the former Coventry City FC ground.

She moved to Dorset where she concentrated on bringing up her young family. A further move to Aldwick followed when she decided to return to teaching part-time.

Her first supply teaching position was at Nyewood CoE Infants School before she gained a permanent job at The Glade Infants School.

Sue Dean, the headteacher at the time, said: "Jan had the ability to find that special person in every child. She was considered a wonderful teacher by all who came into contact with her."

In 1998, after 12 years at The Glade, the last five of them as deputy headteacher, she was appointed as the head of Barton Infants School in North Bersted.

She soon made her mark there with Ofsted inspectors recognising she encouraged staff and pupils to reach high standards by saying 'she had brought about a quiet revolution in the development of the school'.

They also recognised that it was 'a happy, thriving high-class provider of education for young children'.

Her vision and guidance enabled a new pre-school, Little Acorns, to be successfully established within the school in 2005.

A further Ofsted inspection, just before her illness, confirmed the outstanding status of the school.

The lead inspector acknowledged that her excellent leadership and management skills were underpinned by her expertise in early years education.

In 2005, she was elected to chair the Bognor Regis Primary School Headteachers Group. She retired early in August, 2006 after her diagnosis.

Throughout her career, she remained a modest, caring person and will be sadly missed by everyone whose life she touched.

Her spare time saw her enjoy playing tennis, travelling and spending time with her family and many friends.

When she chaired the Bognor Regis Ladies Circle, her favoured charity was St Wilfrid's Hospice, where she received excellent care before her death on January 1.

Jan leaves her devoted family of David, her husband of 34 years, and their two sons, Jonathan and Christopher.

Jonathan is continuing the teaching tradition, in London, and Chris is an extended scope physiotherapist in London.

What do you think? Click here to send a letter or leave a comment below.

Click here to go back to Chichester news

Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news

Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news

To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click on the link below to add yourself to our readers' map.

MAP