A YORK secondary school is losing two long-serving deputy headteachers, with one of them set to bid farewell to the school and the other relinquishing his role and staying on part-time.

Helen Bickley, who work at All Saints RC School, near South Bank, has decided to retire and will teach her final lesson today.

Her colleague Vic Klays is also retiring from his position as deputy head teacher, but will continue as a politics teacher at the school.

Maths teacher Ms Bickley has worked at All Saints for 30 years, and she has been a deputy headteacher for the last 16 years.

The 60-year-old has been teaching for 38 years altogether, and started at All Saints in 1985 when the school opened.

She said: "I feel sad and excited about retiring. It's been my life for 30 years. It's a bit like leaving a limb behind. There's a sense of trepidation.

"I have loved teaching. It's full of challenges, no two days are the same. I've met some absolutely wonderful people."

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She has described All Saints as an "amazing" school and a "lovely place to work."

She added: "I will miss the people, and that's the children and all the staff, as well as those I have had connections with because I have worked here.

It is an amazing school, it's a wonderful place to work."

She says she has no particular plans of what she will do in retirement, but will "put her feet up for a bit and then think about plans."

Mr Klays, 59, is the longest serving deputy headteacher at the school, after 19 years in the role. Before this he was head of history and head of sixth form at Joseph Rowntree School in New Earswick.

Altogether, he has been teaching for 36 years, and he will continue teaching politics at All Saints part-time.

He said: "I'm just going to teach year 13 politics. I will do a year at a time and see how I feel.

"To leave would be hard for me. I'll be about [for the next academic year] and if anyone needs help I'll be there."

He joked: "I think it is good to go when people are asking why are you going rather than when are you going."

In recent years, Mr Klays has been keen to raise awareness of mental health issues among young people.

He explained: "I feel very strongly about it. Youngsters in the present day have so many issues to face, causing anxiety and stress.

"We started a group in school called Action Minds. We are trying to raise the profile of mental health among young people so they feel comfortable talking about."

When asked about his plans for the future, he said: "Apart from teaching part-time I'm looking at perhaps working in different areas of education, such as coaching and supporting."

The headteacher of All Saints, Bill Scriven, said Mr Klays and Ms Bickley will be "sorely missed."

He commented: "It is going to be impossible to replace them. Their impact on the school has changed it forever.

"They've given complete commitment to the school, it's pupils and staff."