A new era is under way at Yeoman Park Academy as its long-serving principal is set to retire.

Jane Cooper (above) is saying farewell following 31 years’ service at the Mansfield Woodhouse academy, which is part of the Diverse Academies Learning Partnership.

Yeoman Park offers high-quality, inclusive education for young people aged 3-18, who experience complex learning difficulties.

Jane, who first began teaching 37 years ago after undertaking teaching qualification at Trent Polytechnic, was among an early tranche of people trained specifically in working with pupils with special educational needs and learning difficulties.

Her first teaching role was at Shepherd School (now Oak Field School and Sports College), Nottingham.

In 1987, Jane joined Yeoman Park with responsibility for leading the early years team, moving up to become deputy headteacher in 1992.

In 2014 she took on the role of head of school at Redgate Primary School, Mansfield, as part of the foundation of schools both were part of, and returned to Yeoman Park in 2015 as head of school and principal.

Jane said: “I have enjoyed working with the children and their families at the academy, having a positive impact on their lives and their learning.

“Being recognised by education professionals and colleagues for the work the team here at Yeoman Park do with our students is both a personal and professional highlight of my career.

“Specialist education is a field that needs to grow and something I feel passionately about. I have been extremely fortunate to be able to have an impact on special education in a wider context, working with colleagues across the country in what I believe is a growing sector.”

Pauline Corfield will become executive principal of Yeoman Park Academy and Redgate Primary Academy, Mansfield, taking up her new role in January 2019.