It proved an emotional final week for Mrs Jackson, who celebrated her 65th birthday on Tuesday.

She struggled to hold back the tears as she said her goodbyes to not only staff and pupils but former pupils and parents too.

She said: "I have had secondments to the Scottish Government, to HMIe and to the city council at times within my career, but always found the post of headteacher at Queensferry Primary to be the most fulfilling of all.

"I would like to thank the whole community for making my time at Queensferry such a happy experience."

She added: "Having been at Queensferry for so long I have appointed almost all of the staff. High quality staff are what makes an excellent school and that is indeed what we have here."

She continued: "I have loved every minute of my time at the school. The families, children and staff are second to none. We have always been very innovative, having had one of the first After-School Clubs in the Edinburgh council area and Wraparound Care which supports many families. It was unheard of when we set up Twinkles to provide inexpensive crèche facilities."

Sheilah started teaching in the late 1960s at Jordanhill College School in Glasgow and moved to Hamilton College of Education as one of a team of young lecturers who taught Educational Methods. A move to Ayrshire and the role of assistant head teacher at Auchinleck followed when Sheilah's husband Jack became a principal teacher of Biology at Ayr Academy.

She then took a 10-year break to bring up her four children, Juliette, Andrew, Jillian and Gemma.

A move to Clovenstone Primary in Edinburgh's Wester Hailes followed when Sheilah's husband became one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Education.

Next was Williamston PS in Livingston and then an assistant head's role at Peel PS, also in Livingston, before she was appointed Queensferry Primary's head teacher in September 1991.

Gillian Tee, director of the city council's children and families department, said: "Sheilah has been an outstanding head teacher who has made a huge contribution to the Queensferry community and made a difference to the lives of so many young people and their families.

"Sheilah's contribution to education goes well beyond her school. She has been involved in developments in education at local authority level and at a national level and her knowledge, experience and enthusiasm have always been appreciated and acknowledged."

To mark Sheilah's retiral, up to 100 friends held a special event for her at Orocco Pier last Friday. And on Monday, the school attended a church service and then an assembly in the afternoon.

She said: "I will miss the school, but I will never lose my interest in education as I have seven grandchildren."

*Queensferry's new head teacher will be Mrs Karen McGregor (nee Deveney), who takes up the post in the New Year. A former teacher at Queensferry, she is deputy head at Cramond Primary School.

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