After nearly 10 years working at her school, Anna Syer said she would ‘miss the people’.

Mrs Syer became head of school of Elveden Church of England Primary Academy, near Thetford, in September – which she said was an ‘absolute privilege’.

Today is her last day at the school as she embarks on a new chapter, relocating to Virginia, in America, with her family.

After the February half-term break, Zoe Maguire will be interim head of school until the end of the academic year.

Mrs Syer, who has two young children, said she was confident she was leaving Elveden Academy in a ‘really strong position’, but added: “It was never my intention to enter headship and leave six months later.”

She said her husband had been offered a once-in-a-lifetime position in America – a three-year contract as a director of a construction company – and she is undertaking an MBA (Master of Business Administration) with the intention of coming back to some sort of position within the school’s trust.

When asked what she would miss about Elveden Academy, Mrs Syer said ultimately it was ‘the people’, adding it was ‘a super special place to be’.

She said: “Elveden is a family here – staff, children, parents and people who work on the estate. All stakeholders really, all deeply care about each other. And it’s an incredibly supportive environment where you make friends for life.”

She spoke of how the school had managed to raise more than £11,000 for an early years canopy – with a lot of the money coming from fund-raising efforts.

She added: “Any everybody here is doing everything they can to make it the best for the children, and I think that’s the really important thing and that drives everything – being able to provide them with the best education and best opportunities.”

Every year there is a residential for Years 4, 5 and 6 to give them opportunities, such as glamping and sleeping in bell tents.

Mrs Syer, who joined the school as a teacher and senior leader, also spoke of inclusivity at the school – where more than 33 per cent of pupils have SEND (special needs and/or disabilities) – and the accelerated progress of children at early years. The school takes no more than 15 pupils in reception.

At its last Ofsted inspection, in December 2023, the school retained its grading of ‘outstanding’ and a SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) inspection, also in 2023, found it to be excellent across the board.

Mrs Syer said the move to the US would enable her family to spend more time together, and has also given her the opportunity to further her own learning, but leaving was ‘bittersweet’.