ALL 84 pupils at a village school will take to the stage this week to give their headteacher a flamboyant send-off.

Michael Clough retires from Witton-le-Wear Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, this week after more than 11 years as headteacher.

Tomorrow, the whole school will perform the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat to celebrate the end of the school year and as a farewell gift to Mr Clough.

He has been a teacher for 35 years, in four larger schools and with Sunderland Local Education Authority, before joining Witton-le-Wear.

He is looking forward to visiting Scotland and exploring the North of England on foot and on a bicycle the school has bought him as a leaving gift.

He said: "I wanted to work in a small school because it is friendly and you get to know the pupils and parents better. It is a lovely school with wonderful children, very supportive and dedicated teachers, and parents and governors who do a lot to create a wonderful environment to work and learn in. It has been a pleasure to be part of the school and community."

The school's new headteacher will be Mark Stephenson, presently headteacher at a school in East Rainton, Wearside.