This Week: Liz Hayward, new head teacher at Penrose School (From Bridgwater Mercury)

This Week: Liz Hayward, new head teacher at Penrose School

12:26pm Tuesday 30th September 2008 in

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Liz was born in Wolverhampton and was the second child of three. Her father worked in the steel mills as a roller and her mother stayed at home and looked after her, her older sister Susan and her younger brother Peter.

Her father always aspired to be a farmer and they all moved to a rural village on the outskirts of Wolverhampton when she was 14.

She attended Codsall High School and there she met Andrew, who she married when she was 24. After a spell as a nurse, she went on to study at a college in London and spent her first year of teaching in Lambeth.

Liz has worked up and down the country in a variety of special schools for 20 years and the past five years as deputy head teacher at the Bridge School in Erdington.

However, she did not like the M6 and decided to move somewhere her family could enjoy the countryside and coast, so they moved to Somerset in August this year.

She has two sons, Fraser and Cameron, and two dogs - Fred and Flynn.

What is the best and worst thing about the place you live in?

The best thing about where I live is that I can get to Kilve beach really easily and I love the view. Having come from Birmingham, which is miles from the coast I can't believe how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place. The worst thing about where I live is that our house has lots of toilets which sounds great at first - no more waiting for the teenage son to get out of the shower! However there are more toilets to clean!

What is the best and worst thing about your job?The best thing about my job is being able to spend every day with such wonderful people - our staff, and of course the fabulous children - and their families who I am starting to get to know gradually. The worst thing about the job has not emerged yet - I'm sure it will soon enough. I have been made to feel very welcome by everyone and am looking forward so much to working with the Bridgwater community which supports Penrose so well, and I am also looking forward to working with other local schools.

What was your ambition as a child?

I know this sounds a bit sad but my ambition, once I realised I was never going to be in the Osmonds, was to be a teacher. I have always tried to organise everyone and in class I was always asked to sit next to anyone who was struggling because I enjoyed showing them how things worked and helping them to get things done. I was such a creep!

What has been your greatest achievement?

Wow, that's a good question. I ran the London marathon in 2004 after many years of being a committed couch potato! My time was just short of a school day - but I did it - and it was one of the best days of my life. I have to say too that I am so proud to be a head teacher. It's a great job to have and I will try my hardest to be as good as I can be.

What characteristic do you dislike most in others and in yourself?

I really don't like it when people simply won't try. I enjoy working with and nurturing people who can't yet do things they would like to do, but achievement requires effort and I have problems with anyone who won't try to achieve new things and be the best they can be. The thing I need to work on is making sure that my family doesn't feel that they don't have enough of my time, because my job can be all consuming.

What is your biggest fear?

My biggest fear is of high places. I was taken on the London Eye in February and I didn't open my eyes once!

When and where were you happiest?

I am often very happy, I love spending time with friends and family, but a surprise birthday present of a trip to New York when I had never been to the USA before reduced me to tears. I loved every second of that holiday, and have bored many people with my holiday photos - if any of you would like to see them… What three items would you take to a desert island?

A bottle of wine, my MP3 player with Abba, Robbie and Frank on - how old am I? And a copy of the Northern Lights trilogy by Phillip Pullman.

Who are your dream dinner party guests (maximum five)?

George Clooney - I don't think I need a reason for that, Bob Geldof - big Boomtown Rats fan from my youth, Ella Fitzgerald for conversation and after dinner entertainment, and my lovely husband Andrew just to help me behave myself with George!

How would you like to be remembered?I believe that something said by Maya Angelou is right, that people don't remember what you said or necessarily what you did, but people always remember how you made them feel. I hope people remember me as someone who made them feel great, and who liked to laugh.