George Quayle, the headteacher of St Ninian's High School in Douglas, has announced that he will step down at the end of the 2009 summer term. His retirement brings to a close twenty-four years spent working at the school, fifteen of them as Headteacher.
 
George attended the school as a boy, when it was known as Douglas High School, then returned in 1985 as Deputy Headteacher. He became Headteacher when his predecessor Ian Cottier stepped down. Noting that 'I've spent more than half my life in this building', George acknowledges that he will 'miss the students, the day to day contact with staff, the pressure of making decisions. It will be a tremendous change'.

He continues to be proud of the school's friendly, nurturing environment: 'We have always wanted St Ninian's to be a purposeful learning environment but enjoyable too, and people comment on the warm, welcoming atmospere. My motto is - be fair to each other, respect each other and work together'.

Although retirement will give him more time to concentrate on hitherto neglected leisure activities, amongst them golf, sailing and touring on his motorbike, George says 'knowing me, I will probably get bored. I don't imagine I will spend my retirement playing!'

The post of Headteacher will be advertised locally in due course.