A head teacher and her deputy retired together yesterday – fulfilling a pledge they made to each other 23 years ago.

Gloria Gott, 55, has led St John’s C of E Primary in Bierley, Bradford, alongside her number two Richard Paley, 60, since 1985.

Shortly after Mrs Gott joined the then struggling school in Dawson Lane, the pair vowed to stick together and make it their lifetime’s work to transform its fortunes.

More than two decades later their dream has been realised.

Under their leadership, believed to be the longest school management partnership in the district, the school’s roll has soared to nearly 500, each of the primary’s three Ofsted reports have been graded outstanding and it now has a long waiting list of prospective pupils.

Mrs Gott has been a mainstay of education committees throughout the district and further afield and last month won the prestigious Ted Wragg Award for Lifetime Achievement at the North of England Teaching Awards.

She said: “When I came in 1985 it was a small school with 90 children on roll and a school in some difficulties. It was really clear that there would need to be changes. It was not a particularly popular school in those days.

“Over the years Richard and I had the determination to ensure that we would create a school that we and the community would be proud of.

“We decided long ago that we would stay together and retire together. We wanted to commit ourselves to the community and create the best school we could.”

Within five years the pair had changed the reputation of the school completely.

“We became the school where the community wanted to send their children and the school slowly started to grow in numbers,” said Mrs Gott.

After gaining its own nursery, the school moved from premises in Tong Street to its current site in 2000.

Mr Paley said: “We have had so many outstanding Ofsted reports that people now strive to send their children here.

“We have created a haven where every child really does matter. No child for whatever reason is given up on. All children can achieve if they are given the right circumstances to do so.”

However, the pair, who hosted a Victorian garden party for parents and pupils to say goodbye, stressed they could not have done their jobs so effectively without a “phenomenal” staff of teachers and support workers.

“When you get a team of 60 people all singing from the same hymn sheet you create something special,” said Mrs Gott.

Paying tribute to Mr Paley, she added: “He has been just so right for me. We have got a very strong partnership which has been like a marriage!”

Returning the compliment, Mr Paley said: “Gloria has been an amazing head teacher. Working for her has always been a challenge and I think that’s what everyone needs in life.”

Mrs Gott plans to retire to North Yorkshire while Mr Paley hopes to step up his involvement with Thackley Amateur Football Club.

However, despite going separate ways they plan to meet up to attend this summer’s Scarborough Cricket Festival. “We are very good friends and will never lose touch,” said Mrs Gott.