Inspirational teacher dies (From York Press)

Former Derwent Secondary School head teacher Ronald Binns dies aged 84

7:40am Thursday 2nd August 2012 in News By Haydn Lewis, haydn.lewis@thepress.co.uk

A MUCH-LOVED former York secondary school head teacher has died aged 84.

Ronald Binns was the head teacher at the former Derwent Secondary School, off Hull Road, in York, near where Derwent Junior School is today.

Mr Binns took over as head in 1971 and lived with his family in Dunnington .

He was forced to take early retirement in 1983 due to the onset of Parkinson’s Disease – two years before the school closed.

Born in Queensbury, near Bradford, Mr Binns won a scholarship to go to Keighley Grammar School and went on to train as a teacher in Leeds.

He married his late wife Joan in December 1950 and he went on to teach in Darlington before moving to York.

His daughter, Sarah Ellwood, said: “He was passionate about his school and the union – he was made a lifetime member of the NASUWT when he retired.

“He was very involved with the school’s pupils and parents and he was still in contact with some of the teachers who said they often ran in to former pupils, who now have children and grandchildren, who remembered him fondly.

“We were told he was quite an inspirational teacher and very passionate about his subjects, English and history.”

On his retirement his deputy, Margaret Barker, took over as head and at the time she said: “Mr Binns has been a very caring head and always had the welfare of the children and their families at heart.”

After he retired, Mr Binns and his wife moved to Shelf near Bradford to be close to their family. Mrs Binns died in January 2010.

The couple had three daughters, Helen, Rachel and Sarah as well as six grandchildren, Carl, James, Chloe, Philip, Edward and Clare.

The funeral will take place in the private chapel of Joseph Hey & Son Ltd, 470 Great Horton Road, Bradford, on Monday at 1.15pm.